Dirty truth
by HeArTxbRoKeNxCB Lover xD
Summary: I tried to not to smile, but I couldn't help but break out into a grin. Maybe last night was a mistake, maybe it really wasn't my dad. Maybe, it was just a dream. My dad walked up to my bed, kissed my forehead and spun on his heel and left for work. I stretched my arms above my head, and when I opened my eyes I saw my ripped shirt from the night before. Chaylor. Rated T.
1. Bad Dream

_The sun was bright and very hot. When I put my hand up to shield the rays, my hand would stand out against the bright light. Twirling and twisting my hand, I tried to catch the sun's rays in my fingers._

"_Taylor." A gentle voice called out._

_Suddenly, the bright light was blocked out by a figure's shadow. Gazing in the direction of the figure, a smile played against my lips. I held my arms out for the figure to come near me. _

"_What are you doing?" The figure laughed at me._

_My mother came into my view. She pulled me close, and I held onto her tightly. I laid my head against her shoulder. Her brown hair fell into gentle waves against her shoulder. Her skin was kissed with a deep chocolate hue. Through her skin, I could heart her heart beating and it seemed to relax me._

"_Someone is ready for a nap."_

_Shaking my head, my mouth opened wide. A yawn had escaped. My mother laughed again, and grabbed me up into her arms. She began to walk away from the spot we were just in. With sleepy eyes, my eyes drank in the scene. Gold and ocean flowers were heavily mixed together; the sun was at its brightest. The small field was growing with life. I smiled one final time and let my heavy eyes close.  
_

* * *

My eyes opened slowly. My body felt heavy. Gently pulling myself up, I began to rub at my eyes. Sunshine filtered in through my room. My room wasn't a magazine page. It was just a room. I had a desk that I did homework on, I had a dresser, and I had a bed to sleep in. I even had my own private bathroom that I didn't have to share with anyone. I hated having that dream. It was one of my favorites as well as a cursed dream. Only if I could have saved her, life wouldn't be so hard now.

"Taylor."

Looking up, I held back a gasp. My father stood at my door frame dressed in his business suit, ready to go to work. My fingers gently trembled against my blanket. I remembered what happened last night.

"Yes Daddy?"

"Make sure you get Star to school on time, as well as yourself. Middle school years are important, if you want to get into a good college." My dad winked at me.

I tried to not to smile, but I couldn't help but break out into a grin. Maybe last night was a mistake, maybe it really wasn't my dad. Maybe, it was just a dream. My father crossed the threshold of my door frame and took large strides into my room. He walked up to my bed, kissed my forehead and spun on his heel and left for work. I sighed against my quiet room; last night just had to be a mistake. I stretched my arms above my head, and when I opened my eyes I saw my ripped shirt from the night before.

* * *

"Ow! You're pulling too hard!"

"Sorry."

I gently ran the brush through my sister's hair. Star was always graced with the better hair than me. Sometimes I just forgot that her hair didn't need as much force as mine did. I set the brush down on the bathroom counter. Fluffing Star's hair out over her shoulders, I looked up.

"You're done."

Star sat up from her chair. I had pulled her hair into a fancy up do, with ringlets of hair escaping out of the hair that was held at the top. Daddy did always say to go to school with a positive attitude. Patting Star's shoulder, I grabbed my desk chair and began to lift it back into my room.

"You okay this morning?"

Nodding my head, I placed my desk chair back under my desk. I began to grab up my books when I felt a hand stiffen on my shoulder.

"What happened to your cheek Taylor?"

Not meeting Star's eyes, I kept my eyes down cast. "Did dad hit you again?" Star questioned. I didn't nod my head and Star filled in the blank again.

"Taylor! Why didn't you tell me he hit you again?"

"It's really none of your concern Star."

Sighing loudly, Star turned around and began to walk over to my window. Her fingertips grazed across the windowsill when she stopped suddenly. She bent down and picked something up. She turned around to face me again.

"Taylor? Why is this shirt ripped and slightly bloodied?"

I wouldn't let my eyes meet Star's again. I wish I could have told her that I spilled fruit punch on that shirt and that the shirt seams just exploded, but I knew I couldn't lie to my sister.

"Star, last night dad came into my room, and did something."

Star's eyes searched mine for an answer. She didn't get one.

"What did he do?"

I could feel tears prickling behind my eyelids. I wouldn't cry, not in front of my sister. I had to be strong and not show fear or pain in front of her.

"What did he do to you Taylor? And what does the ripped shirt have anything to do with it?"

Oh was Star the ever clever one at nine. I blinked for a few minutes, and then I grabbed Star's hand. Maybe her strength would help me. Maybe she wouldn't get so mad at me for what I had done last night.

"Star, dad came into my room last night and touched me."

Star's eyes widened. "Where did he touch you?"

I felt a tear slip out of my eye.

"Everywhere." I whispered.

* * *

_Hey guys, again this is another re-post of Dirty Truth. For the next couple of chapters, I'm going to be editing a few things so sit tight. No one worry, Dirty Truth __**WILL**__ stay the same. Just the first five chapters are going to be edited and changed. Once again, thank you guys for all of the foot traffic. It makes me really happy to know that Dirty Truth hasn't died quite yet. Reviews letting me know if this chapter makes more sense. **I do NOT own High School Musical in anyway, shape, or form. I only own Star. I also do NOT support rape or Child Abuse. Both are very important matters that should not be taken lightly. **_


	2. Band Aid

Walking to school was never any fine point. Especially when you were being bullied; I pushed my legs to pump faster. I turned my head to see that my enemies were still pretty hot on my heels. I had to get away and get to my sister. She had been out of school twenty minutes by now, and I had spent a good thirty minutes trying to dodge my bullies.

"We're gonna get cha!"

I wasn't a very well-liked kid at school. I was too nerdy and everyone wanted answers from me. That's how nerds and everyone else exists. Things were fine if you just followed in line, did what you were asked and didn't ask questions. If I didn't piss of Naomi and her group of friends, I wouldn't be running right now.

I lead them through the empty streets. There were a lot of families out, but no one stopped to help me. That was the way things worked in life, you were always looking out for yourself. I bet to the adults it looked like I was playing chase with a group of friends. I bet if the girls had knifes and daggers and guns it wouldn't look like just chase.

"Taylor, you may be fast but you are going to run out of stamina eventually!"

After a while the girls gave up and it seemed like I had lost them. I looked around me, and once I had deemed it clear I fell into a pile onto the ground. My lungs painfully expanded, and I could taste blood in my mouth. My legs tried to painfully cramp. I just needed a minute to catch my breath. My dad was going to kill me.

"Are you lost?"

I painfully gasped. There was some boy sitting on his blue mountain bike looking down at me. He had sand colored skin that was kissed with a gentle chocolate hue. He had hair that stuck up in all directions. And his eyes, they were deep pools of chocolate that wrapped me up. My hands went to my heart, and I continued to pant loudly. The boy stood up from his bike, and slowly walked over to me.

"Are you okay?"

Gulping for air, I licked my lips. "I'm okay."

The boy looked me over. "You're sure? You're breathing pretty heavy."

Heaving in air I nodded my head. "I'm sure."

The boy smiled at me and looked at me. "You look familiar. Do I know you?"

Shaking my head, I closed my eyes. "No, you don't."

"Oh, there you are Taylor."

My eyes shot open and in my view, Naomi walked into my line of vision. With a cruel smirk upon her face, she and her group of friends closed in on me. I could feel that my body was slowly beginning to throb. I couldn't outrun her again. I couldn't even stand up, let alone walk away from anything. My eyes met Naomi's and my fear melted away. She knew I couldn't escape her clutches this time. She had me.

"Naomi? I didn't know that you knew my friend Taylor."

Naomi's head whipped in the direction of the boy. "Oh Chad, I didn't see you there." Naomi smoothed down her hair and shot Chad a flirty smile. "I didn't even know you lived here."

Chad smile at Naomi and walked closer to me. He sat down on the sidewalk next to me. "Yeah, I do live here; I was just waiting for Taylor to show up so we could go join Troy and the others."

Naomi smiled at Chad, and then smiled at me. "Oh. Well, do you mind if I talk to Taylor alone for a moment? We have to discuss something really important."

Chad smiled and stood up. He walked over to his bike and grabbed the handle bars. He walked his bike over to me; Chad kicked at the kickstand and let his bike lean. "Anything you need to say to Taylor can be said in front of me. I'm a good secret keeper, huh Taylor?" Chad gently nudged me.

I didn't breathe a word. Naomi, knowing that Chad wasn't going to move called off her group of friends and began to walk away. Chad had just made things worse for me.

"Why did you do that? Now I'm really going to die tomorrow." I moaned out.

Chad's smile faded. "Thanks would have been nice you know." Chad stood up.

"I didn't exactly ask you to defend me."

"Your right, but I knew you needed someone's help to defend you."

Sighing I pushed myself up off of the concrete. Now I was going to die tomorrow in front of a thousand kids at school. I slowly began to walk off.

"Hey! Wait a second." Chad called out.

Turning around, I faced him. "You saved me, the deed is done. You can stop being a good citizen now."

"Your my friend remember? And we're supposed to go and meet Troy Bolton and my group of friends."

"But we aren't friends."

"We are now." Chad smiled at me.

I smiled at Chad. "I'm sure we are. You know it is okay. We've played pretend and I'm going to get creamed tomorrow at school, but thanks for trying to save me. You saved me today and I can at least go and get my sister home from school."

"Your sister goes to Washington Pride elementary school huh?"

"I cannot disclose that information."

Picking up my feet, I begin to walk in the east direction. "I could give you a ride; it's a long walk from here Taylor."

"Doesn't matter I'll make it eventually."

Chad, being stubborn walked his bike closer to me. "It's the way you can repay me back for saving your life."

Closing my eyes and sighing, I look over at Chad.

"It's either you let me give you a lift to your sisters school or you become friends with me at school, your choice."

I glanced down at my watch; I was already thirty minutes late picking up Star. There was no way I could get to her school in time. It was going to take me at least another forty minutes to get to her.

"How are you supposed to give me a ride? There's no extra seat on your bike."

Chad patted at the handlebars. Shaking my head, no I look at Chad.

"Tell me you're joking."

"Not joking."

"No way, I'll weigh your bike down too much."

Chad shook his head with a smile. "I've carried Troy's heavy ass on here before all the way to Wal-Mart a few times. You're a feather in comparison."

Giving Chad a dead stare, I weighted my options. Either way I was going to get hurt in some form so why not just get a few scrapes from a bike.

"Alright, let's go."

* * *

The wind blew through my hair as my hands grabbed the handle bars for dear life. Chad's bike was swiveling dangerously from side to side. So far we had been on the bike for ten minutes now and we were only about a few streets away from Star's school. Once Chad saw the grass he began to stop pedaling. He didn't see the rock that was in our path. I went flying over the handle bars and onto the grass. Chad abandoned his bike and ran over to me.

"Taylor, are you okay?"

Sitting up, I rubbed my forehead and saw blood on my finger right index finger. I cut myself. I held up my finger. "Thanks for trying to kill me Chad."

Chad's face dropped into a frown. "I am so sorry Taylor. I didn't see the rock and…"

Smiling at Chad I patted his shoulder with my good hand. "Hey, you saved me from having to pick body parts up from off of the ground, a little cut is the least of my worries. You got me to my sister's school as fast as you promised you would."

Chad's face perked up a little. He stood up and began to avidly look through his pockets. He pulled out a Band-Aid. He began to tear at the paper. He gestured for my finger and I held it out for him.

Chad smirked. "You're taking my last Band-Aid. Now you owe me even more."

Faking a gasp, I look over at Chad. "What do you want this time around?" I smiled at Chad. "Answers to an upcoming test?"

"No. I want you to honor what I suggested earlier. You hang out with Troy and my friends."

"How long is the sentence?"

Chad smiled. "Till I say so."

That day, a few things happened. One, I had gotten saved by an angel. Two, I picked my sister up a little late. Three, I got verbally chewed out by my dad for picking up my sister late. Four, I finally made friends.

* * *

_So if some of you have noticed, some of the chapters of this story are gone. I have decided to instead of wasting time editing the chapters just insert new chapters. It'll make everyone happy and save me a giant headache and procrastination. A little Chaylor fluff for you all. Who doesn't like Chaylor fluff? Review please? They make me very happy. Again,** I do NOT own High School Musical. I only own Chad's blue magical, time traveling bike and Star. I don't even own a Band-Aid. I do NOT support rape or Child Abuse. Both are very serious matters that are not yo be taken lightly.**  
_


	3. What Time is it? Summer Time!

Staring at Gabi's glow in the dark stars; that were still brightly glowing, I continued to look up at them. Maybe I could do that to my room. It would give me some light at night and give me something else to look at while my dad continued to touch me. I had been awake for a while now. At first it was everyone, wide awake then it slowly thinned out and I became a winner at a game that no one was playing. Sighing, I rolled over onto my side and pushed my head into the pillow, groaning when I didn't even feel slightly tired. My mind kept buzzing back to earlier, not that much had happened but my mind wouldn't give up until I looked back on it. I let my index finger trace over the patterns of the bubble print on the pillowcase.

* * *

–

The bell rang for fourth period and I wasn't planning on moving. My teacher said she wouldn't be in class because she had seniors to attend to before graduation. So, my teacher found out what classes we had before her class and found ways for us to stay in the class before. Or if that wasn't possible, she found a class for us to go to.

"Taylor?"

I looked up. Chad was in the class after mine. Waving at him, Chad took the empty spot next to mine. Chad grabbed my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Taylor, it's fourth period. You have a different class than me."

Nodding my head, I locked eyes with Chad. "My teacher had seniors to deal with so she pulled strings for us to find other classes to stay in."

Chad smiled at me and let out a loud yell. Every pair of eyes turned to us and my cheeks grew hot.

"Ssssh!" Naomi cried out to us.

Chad smiled at me. I still never really thank him for saving me that day back in sixth grade from Naomi. I guess it was a good thing that he didn't leave. I may not have been the same girl with friends. Naomi was still pissed that I got away and that I gained friends in the process. Did I mention the most popular friends?

I sunk down into my chair, and covered my face with my hands. Chad looked at me sideways, with a grin on his face.

"Wipe that grin off of your face Danforth." I pipped out.

Within seconds, Chad's beautiful smile slid away. I turned to him and smiled at him. Chad glared and me, and I simply shrugged my shoulders at him. We continued to sit in our seats until the bell rang.

* * *

"Geez, FINALLY!" I exclaimed and pumped a fist into the air.

Finally sixth period was over and summer had officially begun! and I couldn't be happier. I was walking out with my friends. Chad hip checked me, and I hip checked him back. Crazy little bugger.

* * *

Walking down the paper covered hallways, I said goodbyes to classmates. I signed yearbooks and signed shirts. I had gone down Chad's hallway on purpose. I wanted to know if he was going to Gabi's party later on. Spotting him crouched down, I walked over to him.

"Chad, you ready to go?"

Chad was sitting on his knees, and pulling papers out and other hideous things that were growing in his locker. Chad's eyes met mine, and had an apologetic look upon them.

"Sorry Taylor. I never got around to cleaning this thing out." Chad dumped out a folder, which crushed up papers flew out.

I shook my head. "Chad, we cleaned out our lockers two weeks ago."

"I know, but I was too busy being in detention to make up for after school."

I smiled. "Then why didn't you do it AFTER practice?"

"I was too tired. You know Troy's dad, he ALWAYS over works us."

Chad had a point on that one. I crossed my arms and leaned up against a ruby red locker and peered down at Chad. "Well if you want, I'll stay and help."

"No need to, the girls said that you are needed with them to help them set up for tonight."

"I know, but I was wondering if you were going to the party too."

Chad stood up and flexed out his chest. "I'm a party animal, course I'm going."

Poking Chad's chest I laughed at him. "You mean a family birthday party is what you animal at."

Chad's face fell and he slumped over. I gave Chad a tight side hug. "It is okay buddy; you should be free from school before August."

Sticking his tongue out at me, Chad hugged me tighter. We stood in the hallway for maybe two minutes hugging when Chad began to poke at my sides.

"Quit it!"

Chad continued to poke at me, and then proceeded to chase me up and down the hallways trying to tickle me. His locker was totally forgotten.

* * *

Like I had said, not much had happened. I wanted something else to happen. Chad and I were probably the closest friends next to Gabi and Troy. They didn't count though, they were already in love. Did I love Chad? I didn't even know the definition of what love is. But a smile played on my lips. Maybe I did like Chad, but to love Chad? That was a little too much to ask for right now. Rolling over again, I came face to face with something. Getting ready to scream, something put its hand over my mouth, silencing me.

"Taylor, it's okay, it's me Chad." Chad whispered his voice mixing in with Zeke's snoring.

Gulping in breathes, I slowly closed my eyes and nodded my head. "Come with me, I need you for a moment." Chad breathed.

Nodding my head again Chad stood up then helped me up. Grabbing my hand he quietly lead me down the stairs and out through Gabi's back door into the crisp night. I never realized that when someone holds your hand, you begin to put the pros and cons of the softness of their hand. If they have a big hand that tightly grasps your own, and makes it protected you feel the tightness of actually being protected. Looking down at Chad's hand, clasped around mine, I realized that every step we took I would feel a slight tingling feeling. It was the feel of electricity running thought out your blood stream and warming your whole being. And looking up at Chad, connecting his eyes with mine, I knew, this was WAY better than sleeping.

* * *

–

_Okay, again hi. Instead of totally throwing this chapter out, I just edited it a little. I shortened this chapter up a tad bit. Now I think the Dirty Truth makes a little more sense now. If you haven't read the first two chapters you might want to re-read them. They are pretty much different from what you remember. I hope you guys are enjoying Dirty Truth. I'll be coming up with another update for you guys soon, I promise. Happy summer reading!_


	4. Angels for a lifetime

"_Taylor, I'm moving."_

_Moving...Moving...Moving...Moving._

Chad had only been gone for two months, and everyday, his words would repeat in my head. Boy, this was a great way to spend my summer.

–---

"_You're...Moving?"_

_Chad hung his head and didn't say anything._

"_W-wwhy?" I whispered_

"_My grandma is sick and dying, and my dad feels regret for not being around and spending time with her. He feels that we, his kids, didn't spend enough time with her either."_

_I nodded my head and stood broken next to Chad. Chad hugged me close to his body, and I hugged him back as awkwardly as I could without over doing the depression part. Chad and I just stood, him holding me and myself holding my tears back. Chad murmured some stuff in my ear, and I focused on remembering his scent._

"_Are you coming back anytime soon?"_

_Chad stayed silent and didn't answer. "I don't know."_

_I nodded my head, and slowly pulled away from Chad and went to sit in the grass. I knew Chad was standing behind me, and I looked up at the full moon._

"_You know, we shouldn't be able to see the moon this clearly from where Gabi lives."_

_I was met with silence. I didn't expect him to say anything back, I went into dorky mode and Chad wasn't exactly the type to sink that low._

"_Yeah I know, something about the pollution, right?"_

_I turned to look at Chad, who had, plopped down next to me and had his knees up in the air and his hands on his knee caps. I nodded my head, and turned back to the moon._

"_Taylor, you know your my best friend right?"_

"_But you've known Troy longer than me."_

"_He my best guy friend, your my best girl friend."_

_I giggled. "Best girl friend?"_

_Chad nodded his head vigorously and whispered in my ear. "There are things that you know that he doesn't know."_

_I smiled and threw my arms around Chad and hugged him and Chad hugged me back. I pulled back and looked Chad dead in the eye with my evil face. _

"_You'll write me and call me right?"_

"_Everyday."_

"_Good, you better."_

–_--_

I touched a finger to my lips and remembered. So far Chad had called me the first night he had made it to Italy, but he never called me back. At first I just shrugged it off as he was busy, but it's been two months and not a word. Troy hasn't even heard from him! I sighed, I was going to be a sophomore this year, and I didn't have Chad by my side. Sure, I had Troy, Gabi, Ryan, Shar, Kelsi and Jason but I needed Chad by my side more than anyone.

My door was thrown open and it hit the wall with a loud thud, my dad staggered in and walked over towards my bed and grabbed a fist full of my hair.

"You wanna explain why the kitchen isn't cleaned up?" he staggered and stuttered.

I sniffled, and looked into my dad's blazing eyes, with fearful eyes.

"N-no sir. I-"

Before I had a chance to answer, my dad slapped me. He continued to slap me repeatedly and even threw me towards the wall closest to my bed. Then he slowly walked closer to my cowering body, and was suddenly towering over me. With a evil smirk on his face, he began kicking me. Anywhere his foot could make contact with, he kicked. He repeatedly kicked me, and all I could do was curl up, hoping that the blows would stop soon.

---

_I had managed to quietly sneak back inside, how I had managed to get in and not be detected was beyond me. I quickly and quietly climbed the stairs, zig zaging, going left and hugging the wall, then to the right, hugging that wall as well until I was upon the twelfth stair. Staring me dead in the face was my father. Gasping, he murmured something and continued down the stairs._

_**He's sleeping walking again.**_

_I quickly went to my room, closing the door quietly behind me. I rested my back against the door and breathed for a moment. I knew I wouldn't be safe until tomorrow, I would only be safe when Star came back from our grandmother's house. I couldn't go because, when I was younger, before my mother died, I was always a daddy's girl. Always by his side, and never obeying anyone else, other than my mom, I never listened to anyone. My grandmother, had foreseen what a horrible man my father would become, but I, still clung to his side, and blew off my grandmother's warning. So, since that day, I had been banned from going to my grandmother's house, and I couldn't set foot on my grandmother's property to pick up Star, so I had to wait on the other side of the street to pick Star up. I sighed and realized that I had been sitting on the floor, against my door when I heard footsteps. My breath began to pick up, I had to hide. If I hid, and my dad couldn't find me, I'd be safe. Quickly scampering, I dove under my bed, a tight space, but safe enough to where my dad wouldn't find me. Or even look to find me. I clamped a hand over my mouth and nose and waited until my dad came. I had my breathing quieted and my heart, until the door slammed open, scaring me, and making my heart go crazy. I even jumped and bumped my head on the railing._

"_Oh, Tayyyylor. I know your in here." My dad called._

_Looking through the sheet fabric, I could see my dad, looking around the room for me. He stopped off at the closet, and threw the door open and charged in._

_**Why in god's name would I hide in there? **_

_Hearing him curse, he came out, and threw a scarf out in the open, and proceeded to look behind the opened door. Walking slowly._

"_Oh Tayylor honey, where are you? Daddy just wants to have a few minutes to show his baby girl how much he loves her."_

_I closed my eyes, to keep from throwing up. After the sickness passed, I opened my eyes again, my dad was standing in front of the door and before I knew it, just like when he threw the door open he threw it open, to shut it close._

"_Dammit! Where is she at?"_

_My dad walked back to the open of my room, and stood for a moment. "I know where she is." My dad's feet crept closer to the bed._

_**Shit, shit SHIT! He's going to look under here. Crap, crap, CRAP.** _

_The footsteps crept closer to the bed, until something fell. I had my eyes closed tightly and my breathing as quiet as possible. My dad's feet disappeared and I let out a quiet breath._

"_I gotcha you dirty slut." _

_I had jumped to find my dad looking at me from the front of my bed, and he had grabbed my wrist and was pulling me out from under the bed. My dad threw me onto my bed, and climbed on top of me."So, you were hiding from me huh?" My dad had placed a finger under my chin and was stroking my skin. I tried to pull away, but only to be met with a slap to my face. I whimpered, and my dad was ripping my clothes off of me. I closed my eyes and let my tears run freely down my cheeks as I felt my dad slipping inside of me._

_---_

I jolted awake, and sat up to be met with pain coursing throughout my body.

"Here, lay back down Taylor."

Listening to the voice, I slowly laid back down. And my eyes met with dark brown eyes, Star. I smiled painfully, and Star continued to wipe my forehead with a cool cloth.

"Thank you Star."

Star didn't say anything, I wouldn't have said anything either is she would have been in the same position. I mean what is there to say, when your sister is beat by the man that is supposed to be protecting you. I looked up at Star again to see she had tears dancing in her eyes. I opened my arms, and without a hesitation, Star climbed into my arms and cried into my chest.

"Star?"

"Grandma, wants to adopt me."

"Adopt?"

"And dad is actually going to go through with it."

I didn't say anything, except for kiss Star's forehead. I had to hold back my own tears, Star was getting out, but I wasn't.

_This is the best for her. She could actually grow up to be normal, he won't be able to touch her if she's not around._

I nodded my head, agreeing with myself. "You should go Star." I spoke with certainty.

Star looked up at me with teary eyes. "What? No, I can't leave you here by yourself!"

I shh-ed, Star. "You have to. Grandma could give you what your lacking here."

"But she talks bad about you all the time."

"Doesn't matter, you are still young Star, you might not be corrupted as badly as I will be when your my age."

"But..."

"No buts, please Star. Mom would have wanted it this way."

"Mom wouldn't have wanted dad raping you and beating you until you knock out."

I didn't say anything. "I know." I whispered.

And before I knew it, our father came in, and grabbed Star. Star, kicked and screamed and held out for me. All I could do was give her a small look. "Taylor! Please don't make me go, PLEASE!" Star screamed.

"Star, I love you. Be good." I choked out, still holding my tears back.

"See? Even your whore of a sister doesn't want your stupid ass." my father called.

Star looked at me, and I looked back her. In her eyes I could see that she knew that what my father had said wasn't true. She also knew, that this was best for her. She stopped fighting my dad and hung limp in his arms.

"See? Why can't you be like this when I come to see you at night?" my father retorted.

Star looking into my eyes again, and I murmured, 'I love you.' And Star disappeared. Painfully, I got up and limped to my window, I saw a lady standing against a car, looking impatient, and I saw my father and Star standing in front of her. The lady held out her hand and Star didn't take it quick enough for the lady and the lady grabbed Star's arm and put her in the car. My father and the lady talked a bit, and the lady looked up at me. I knew I had tears rolling down my face, but it didn't matter, my sister was going to be safe and happy. Maybe not as happy as she was with me, but she'd at least be safe. I slowly limped back to my bed, letting a sob rip through me. With every step I took, another sob would rip through me. When I was finally close to my bed, I collapsed onto my bed and cried. I had lost two people this summer, Chad being the first to go, and Star being second. Both angels, needed by other people to touch other lives. I had my share of angels for a lifetime now, and I let both of them go freely.

–--

Okay, so THAT chapter was pretty depressing for me to write. I need to clear somethings up, so I made changes to the first chapter, making Taylor, being fifteen, and the event happening when she was thirteen, but it, it being FF wouldn't and didn't let the changes happen. So from now on, Taylor is FIFTEEN and a sophomore in High School. Well until I say other wise, I really did try to change the age thing, but FF wouldn't take it. I even tried to change the summary, since it was so, blah, but that didn't even work, so I truly tried. In bold and sideways, is Taylor talking in her head, I'm sure it would have been easier if I would have just put the one quotation mark around what she was saying, but to make things less confusing, I just made bolder it for you all. This is probably going to be it for a while, I have a big project coming up for school, so I'll be busy with that, but I'll write another chapter out and post it whenever. I hoped it flowed and made sense. Till next time.


	5. Flipping Joy

So tell me again why was I sitting in a desk, with the obvious fake wood plate, a slightly cracked blue chair, which I could feel the plastic poking into my thigh through my denim material of my jeans. And the desk had a lean to it and it wasn't hard to miss because when I placed my pencil it began to roll away from me (And I knew quite well that when I placed the pencil it was laying still). And every time someone entered the room I pretended like I knew what I was doing, even though I was scared and had no idea. I was also praying that I wasn't in anyone's seat. When the final bell rang, and the late kids trickled through the door and people took their seats, a tall, lean guy stood behind a heightened lecturer, and slid a pencil from behind his ear. Low murmuring could be made out but other than backpacks being zipped, unzipped, and then zipped again the room was silent.

"Ah ha! Class."

Everyone, including myself, looked up and focused on the lean guy.

"We, have a new name on our roll sheet."

No one murmured a word, and then everyone turned to where I was sitting, (Which was the seat closest to the door) and their eyes fell on me. Yeah, yeah I was the new name added to their stupid list. I could have cared less, even though it's kind of hard to not care when I had a passion for school and really I thrived in the habitat.

My heart stopped and pounded loudly and rang, deafening my ear drums. I ran my fingers through my hair and looked towards the open windows. My eyes swept to the lean guy's to have a smile etched onto his face. Sure, the guy looked warm and welcoming, but it's hard to be welcoming when you don't want to be somewhere new.

"Would you like to say a few words...Ms. McKessie?"

"Taylor." I replied icily.

"Taylor? That's what you want to be called?"

I nodded my head and took a breath. I stood up, and slowly made my way to the front of the room, and to the evil lecturer. Truth be told, I hated public speaking but knew that if it was for a grade I'd swallow the nervousness and march right up to the front and bore everyone with my project. But this was different, I wasn't going up there to be boring, (Well unless they considered a SDN, scholastic decathlon nerd, to be of an extravagance then they were in for a treat) I was going up there to tell twenty-five people about who I was. Oh flipping joy. I stepped over backpacks and even got my foot caught on one of the straps. Battling and somewhat winning (The girl had to tug on the strap and I launched forward and caught myself on a desk) I finally made it to the front, and stood right in front of tall lean guy in the light blue dress shirt. Parting over to his desk, he left the floor to me. He plopped down into his comfy seat, crossed his leg, at the knee-cap and grabbed what seemed to be a hack-y sack and began toying with it.

"Floor is all you."

I nodded my head and turned to face the class head on. Woah. A lot of kids in this room, or maybe it was because it felt like all the kids pushed their desks up closer to freak me out? I took a step back to slightly bump into the board.

_Relax McKessie. Crap, now I'm talking to myself and calling myself by my last name. Grrrreat._

I took a breath. "I'm...My name is.." I sighed again. I just couldn't, maybe I could get lucky and the bell would ring or the fire alarm would go off. Or better yet, the lean guy had something planned and he'd be rude and let me go back to my seat. I eyed him, twinkle in his eye and a smile plastered on his face. Nope, that wasn't happening.

_Dammit Chad, why couldn't you be here?_

"_What are you talking about, I'm right here?"_

I turned to look to my right. Chad. Was. Standing. Right. There. I blinked a couple times and rubbed my eyes. What the front door?

"_Well Taylor, can you get on with the introduction? They are starting to fall asleep on you."_

I didn't care, I was still fuzzy from Chad standing there, talking to me and being real.

"_Taylor?! Sometime today please!"_

I snapped out of it, and began rattling off odd ball things, not totally off the wall but, it was a bit of hit and miss. Like where I came from, what I enjoyed and what school I attended last. Then in a haze I went back to my seat. Was I hallucinating? Or did I just miss Chad that much and saw what I wanted my mental mind to see?

"_Taylor? Teacher calling on you."_

"Uhm." I sat up a bit higher in my seat.

"You did read the classic, Romeo And Juliet right?"

"Uhm, Yes sir, freshman year."

"Oh, you're quite a head then."

I could feel my face redden and grow warm. Well there goes trying not to seem like a higher advanced know it all out of the window. I sighed, why was I trying to change? I was Taylor Anne McKessie, a bookworm, an overachiever and proud of it. Maybe I wanted a change or maybe I didn't want to lose what I had a East High. It was just a temporary fix, my grandma wanted full custody of Star and my dad didn't even bother fighting, we just upped and moved. Of course, I cried, and cried and still cried but after getting pulled by my hair (I did lose a little patch of hair from the excess pulling and tugging) and slapped repeatedly I had to stop, in front of my dad anyway. But I still cried in private. And I even shed a few tears for Chad too. That was the other thing I would run my tears about, Chad. Chad had yet to contact anyone since he moved, or that was the last thing I heard before my dad and I left. Not that Chad would be able to get a hold of me in this new mess. (What? I moved three states up, three over and one directly down, Illinois I believe.)

"_Taylor? Are you on earth today? The bell rang."_

I nodded my head and gathered up my things.

"Taylor? Can I have a word with you please?"

My eyes fell on lean guy again.

"I promise it won't take long."

I nodded my head, pushed my back pack onto my shoulder and walked to the front of the room.

"I just wanted to officially say my welcoming. I know it's hard being new in a new place and a new High School. You'll adjust I'm sure of it."

I refrained from rolling my eyes, I simply nodded my head and bit my lower lip. Did I look like I needed that much of a pep talk?

"If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here before school, break, lunch and after school. My door is always open to my students." He gave a wider smile.

"Thanks. I'll make sure to stop by if I need to ask you anything."

He nodded his head and I walked off to my next class. I crossed the threshold and began making my way down the crowded hall. I couldn't help but say, I really missed being best friends with the golden boy. Well not so much best friend status, but close friend status. If anyone saw Troy, they'd, the students parted like the red sea in order to let him pass. Friends included. Gosh did I miss East High more than anything.

"_Taylor?"_

Dammit Chad, would he quit calling my name? I knew I was seeing things and hearing them but I didn't want to reside in a padded white cell. Wait, scratch that, did I want to? Was it better than being home with a abusive, molestation father? It probably was. Maybe I should welcome the voice with open arms and say that I see dragons, unicorns, ponies and anything else that makes you seem crazy. Oh, where did you go voice in my ear?

"_You know Taylor, if you get locked up, when you leave to go back to cherry grove, you won't be able to see Star."_

I glared.

"_Just saying."_

Did this mean that I could talk back to the voice? In my head or out loud? Or can it read my thoughts?

"_Uhm, well I can read you're thoughts, hinting that I'm in you're head."_

Oh Damn. It was just my brain, creating things to look real. I should have known.

"_Uhm, actually Taylor, I'm not you're brain. Remember? I'm Chad."_

Chad my ass, Chad could have cared less about me. Stop that brain, I still need to use you later.

Sighing, the voice quieted down to mumbling and ranting something about, teenage girls and their unwillingness to listen to reason. I giggled at that. I had to remind myself to ask the "Chad" if he could see into the future too. I continued my trek down the hallway to only be pushed. I stopped dead in my tracks and my eyes fell to a couple, a beefy guy and a mane of long hair. The beefy guy pushed the girl up to the wall, heated in a lip lock his hands began to fumble and run over places that weren't supposed to be on the map. Not in public anyway. My mouth dropped open, my virgin eyes! Wellll, they weren't exactly "virgin" but, you get the point.

"Move it along people, Stenson! Blow fog! SEPRATE!"

Within moments, the flashy couple pulled apart. Even though they pulled apart and were just simply hugging, I just couldn't tear my eyes away from them. You know when you stare at something and the thing looks back and you look away pretending like you were not just caught? Well, I was caught and it felt like everyone knew. I felt two blue-gray orbs, penetrating into mine and I pretended to be looking above the heads, but you can already tell when you're caught. The girl smirked at me, and kissed the guy on the cheek, patted his chest and slid from under him and walked down the hall. I shook my head and continued walking on. What the hell was wrong with me? Of course I had seen couples go at it like there was no tomorrow but I just couldn't tear my eyes away from the couple, Sten-fog. Maybe it was because he was so bold with her and, and ugh forget it. I walked on, holding my schedule in my face and zigzagging in and out of people.

"I thought so."

Ignoring the voice I walked on, they weren't talking to me.

"You're new huh? Braiden thought so too."

I whirled around, to be pulled out of the way. "Sorry, I didn't want to lose you and let you get trampled." A hand crossed my line of vision. "Shanea."

I turned to my left, to find, the girl locking lips with the beefy guy from before?! What the hell? She walked off and shouldn't even be here next to me. Snatching my paper out of my hand, she scanned the paper over twice.

"So, I did have you in my first period. No offense or anything, but I'm sorry you kind of bored me in there."

My mouth was a gap and I knew it, collecting flies and dripping drool.

"You know that you're-"

"Catching flies and drooling, I know. Why?"

"Why what?" Shanea walked with me, my paper in her hands and her back-pack..no where to be found.

"Why me? And uhm didn't you have a back-pack earlier?"

Shanea looked behind her and shrugged her shoulders. "Riiight, now I remember you you were having a fight with my back-pack strap. I tugged and made you go flying, sorry about that. Braiden will bring it to me."

"Braiden the boy-toy right?"

"Boy-toy?! You know I think I'll take offense to that."

Where the hell were they coming from? Was it like a teenager teleportation system or something so people could zero in on me? Of course it was the beefy guy from earlier, didn't really need to know what he looked like, one, I happened to like my body and other than sporting the bruises I already had, I didn't want to go home tonight nursing new ones. I had enough time staring at him when he was tonsil hock-eying with Shanea earlier. Shanea clung to beefy guy's gun, no literally the guy had arms big enough to put body builders to shame, and he kissed her forehead. I would have called that cute but I didn't want to give them praise for practically having sex in a crowed hallway.

"Babe, Taylor. Taylor, Braiden."

I nodded my head and he replied the same back. We continued down the hallway, Shanea passed my schedule to Braiden he eyed it and passed it back to her.

"She has third with us, and everything else with us after lunch. Although I feel bad for her, AP chem Tay?"

I nodded my head. Wait, did she just call me Tay?

"Sorry I can tell by that face I should just call you Taylor."

I guess that was enough said. "So, you have Capra next huh? He's an okay teacher, very strict though."

I nodded my head and continued to walk down the hall with Sten-fog. Braiden and Shanea pulled off to the right, or more like Shanea pulled Braiden to the right and I slowly took a few shake-y steps.

"Wait! Taylor! Braiden is going to show you where you're next class is. Then he'll walk you to third and then we'll head off to break. See you third." Shanea pecked Braiden on the lips, which turned into tonsil hockey, again and then Shanea pulled herself away from Braiden and disappeared into the classroom. Braiden stood there like a zombie, shook his head and walked over to me.

"AP Chem, here we come."

Braiden waited until I caught up with him, and he matched my strides. "You know, you don't have to show me where it is. I mean we can say that you showed me, and show up on time to third."

Braiden looked at me like I had grown another head. Why would he care?

"Look, I know I may seem like the type that doesn't like you or anything but..Shanea doesn't really take well to girls, but before you showed up and like watched us make out," Braiden grinned and I blushed, "Shanea just went after you. I can't explain why, but it was like you were her new toy, she just had to have you."

Now it was my turn to look at Braiden like he had grown two heads. The hell? So she only befriended me because I was new and she was taking pity on me? I began to stalk off, I knew something was up when Shanea and Braiden showed up. Something caught my wrist and my fist made contact with something hard. I turned around, my fist landed into Braiden chest.

"Sorry" I croaked out.

"It's cool." Braiden gave me this one hundred watt smile that I was sure was the whole, cute guy smile thingy. "But I didn't mean it like that. Like I said it's hard to explain."

"So, she's the welcoming committee huh? Well thanks for the welcome." I tried to walk away but of course, Braiden wasn't letting me go. Figures.

"Taylor?! Can you just listen for a minute? Shanea sees something in you, something good. For her to talk about befriending a girl is rare, _really_ rare. You've got something good here, you might want to be smart and take it."

I just shook my head, Braiden really was not good at saying things. Then again I'm sure he was trying to, but maybe I was just in a junky mood and everything that came out of his mouth was an insult to my ears. I murmured that I wanted him to take me to class, and he obliged. He walked me to AP chem, and said a final sorry, and walked off.

- - - - - -

"Alright class, remember I want those outlines by tomorrow, first thing at the beginning of class!"

The voice just barely made it over the shrill of the bell and the sound of chairs and back-packs zipping. I was among one of those people that wasn't in a big hurry to get out of class, to have to wait for isles to clear, and for people to rush out of the door.

"Mrs. McKessie, may I have a word with you?"

Thank you teacher lady, she saved me from having to walk out with Shanea and Braiden. I mean sure they were cool, but they didn't let me in on that they were the "couple" of the whole high school. All day I had been gaining more and more friends. Girls were asking my name, and if I ever needed something let them know. At first I was confused, why would someone be kissing my ass when I was new and a brainy? Then I found out at lunch, when Braiden, Shanea and I walked up to the lunch line and everyone let us cut. Even the staff that served lunch smiled and pulled out and gave us the better food. What a high life right? Wrong. I got seated next to people, guys more so, and even they were checking me out. I mean sure I wasn't skinny like a twig and not really overweight but I mean I still had my two layers of baby fat (As to be said by Gabby and Sharpay when we went bikini shopping a summer or so ago). And guys NEVER checked me out. What a day. Right, back to the teacher announcing that she wanted to speak to me. Shanea gave me the, 'Should-we-wait?' and I gave her the face, 'Could-be-a-while, I'll-just-see-you-tomorrow.' She nodded her head and lead Braiden out of the room. I continued to gather my stuff, I mean I wasn't really ready to go home. I'm sure by now my father was smashed and wasted and what did that mean? You guessed it, Taylor slapping and among other things. After everything was in my bag, and squarely on my shoulders I made my way to the front of the room, I think her name was Hemoglobin, or go-go goblin, I couldn't remember to save my life so unless she asked, I wasn't going to address her. I figured what would come out of her mouth, 'Don't worry about the outline, It won't be due for you until Friday (We all already know that I'll have it done before tomorrow and have it turned in with the others). Or she would give me the stupid pep talk that lean guy gave me. Right, he was Mr. Pauli, greatest homeroom teacher ever known to students (I didn't say that, Shanea said that).

Sighing, Goblin sat down at her desk chair. And pushed back a bit onto the chair, clearly relaxing. That's right lady, take up as much time as you want.

"I am so sorry about this Morning Taylor."

Sorry? Sorry for what?

"We would have left on time but you're father was quite the distraction this morning."

What the? Oh, right SHE must have been the lady that dad brought home last night. It was a long story, well not really. Dad didn't want to buy a house or apartment or even rent anything, and so before we left my dad somehow got a hold of this real lady from one of his other flunkies, called her up saying that he had a daughter and a whole bunch of other crap and next thing I know I'm in front of a house, with a white picked fence and a blue roof and being pulled by my dad, shoving me into a room, throwing my suitcase in along with me (nearly missing me in the head) and closing the door behind him. Of course he barked not to leave the room until he said so (Until he actually passed out and I could do what I needed to do) and that was my evening in the new place. I actually didn't get to meet our..room-y but I did hear things that I should not have heard. But hey, as long as it was not me right? I'm sorry, that's mean I shouldn't have said that, but you know you were thinking it too.

"That's alright. I had a nice walk this morning." _A nice long hour walk , that almost made me late if you REALLY wanted to know._

"I promise Taylor, it won't happen again."

Yeah, yeah I'd be a sucker if I believed any promises anyone made. Just ask my father of all the stuff he promised me that I never saw.

I didn't respond, instead I just kind of scanned her room again. Sure, I had done my share of staring around her room, (because I was so advance and did all of whole semester already within the matter of a few weeks last year) I just sat there and stared off into space.

"So Taylor, we'll leave as soon as I put these last few grades into the grade book."

Uhm, so I was leaving with her?

I nodded my head and backed off a bit. I just switched one foot to the other and back to the other and back to the other.

"Ugh, why must this be so difficult?"

"Uhm, did you need some help?"

"That would be great." She moved out of the way and I dropped my back-pack onto the ground. I scooted up closer to the desk and looked at the problem. "What were you trying to do?" She pointed to a paper that had a number in red, circled. "I wanted that number, in the little box thingy." She pointed to what box she wanted, as if I couldn't figure out which one she wanted. With a quick click, and a punching of numbers I had the number in the box.

"Woah, how did you do that?"

"Well all you had to do was click the white space, type in what you wanted and then you just had to click enter."

"That's all?"

I smiled. "That's all."

"Huh, they said it was that easy. You know Taylor, I might just have to keep you in during lunch and after school to put in grades." She joked.

I didn't say anything.

"You know I was kidding, God forbid that you would have to give up you're lunch hour and after school time to be stuck _at_ school."

"Uhm actually I really don't mind doing that for you. If you really wanted me to." I replied honestly.

The look Goblin gave me actually made me chuckle. "_Really_?"

"Really." I flashed her my honest smile that I used when I was kissing up to someone.

"Huh, well I might have to you take up on that offer then." Goblin began gathering up her stuff.

"And if you want, I can quickly put in these grades for you, while you're getting ready to leave."

Goblin flashed me a smile. And nodded her head.

Four minutes, thirty seconds later..

Goblin and I had just barely made it outside when he phone rang. She looked at me, because she was in the middle of explaining to me what her life was like, because she had bargained with me to tell me her life if I told her mine, needless to say I had made stuff up and she had been talking since she locked up the classroom.

"Do you mind if I-"

"Yeah, sure go ahead, pretend like I'm not even here."

Giggling, goblin answered her phone. Smile, high on her face slowly slipped. "What?"

Moments passed.

"Of course she's with me."

"She stayed after to help me with stuff."

"No, she did not get in trouble I asked her how to do something, she taught me and took it upon her self to help out."

"God, chill out a little bit."

"Yeah, you better be sorry. You knew I would be giving her a ride."

"Yeah, well it shouldn't be me you're apologizing to. She's a growing girl Aaron, she should be able to live a little and be a teenager once in a while. She's a great girl." Goblin winked at me.

And I knew I was in deep dog poop because _she_ talked to my father like that. The last time anyone talked to my father like that, I had gotten lashes for two weeks straight and I couldn't and wouldn't sit, stand or even move comfortably because of all the bruising and the tenderness of my body.

"We'll see you at home." And she closed her phone.

"Sorry, you're father was worried about you."

Worried my ass.

"Oh."

"He's so over-protective of you. It's sweet."

"Mhm."

She lead me over to the emptied parking lot. Her car was the pretty red ruby convertible that every teenager would dream of. I stared at the shiny paint, getting lost in the color swirls. I looked up at Goblin.

"Yes, yes, get in."

Shakily, for the third time today I touched the sliver handle, and pushed the button and opened the door.

- - - - - - - - -

Alright people, there is you're update. So sorry it's taken so long and for the mistakes, it's just about two AM where I live so you can imagine what eye color my eyes are now. Well you see what had happened was...(Insert chuckles and eye rolls) Nothing really happened, I was going to update twice this week but I procrastinated and now I regret it because I spent forever on this chapter. Nine pages, about two or three of the pages was filler, I think. Anyway, just so you all knew that I wasn't dead or waiting on reviews (I did have one, and it made me get a move on with writing the chapter, thanks a bunch to that person) I just didn't have the heart to BS the chapter so I wrote you all a really, really, _Really _long one. Nine pages. Okay, one review? Two? That would be great. Thanks all, hope you enjoy it.


	6. Roaring giggles and tearing at 70mph

"It wasn't her fault I told you."

"I don't care, she knows what time she's supposed to be home."

"She's a young woman Aaron, I know you're protective of her but she'll eventually leave the house, and she may even hate you if you continue to be this way."

An intake of breath was released. "You're right."

I all but fell back, my dad didn't slap her? He didn't hit her? That couldn't be possible, there just had to be some sort of...abuse. I waited moments later to hear some sort of loud boisterousness but it never came. There was no way, that this woman could change my father, no way in hell. Moments later I heard a door slam open then slam close. A smile touched my lips, and I let out a gulp of breath my dad didn't lose his touch, and I knew that it would be soon that I would move back to cherry grove, new lady, or no new lady.

x.x.x.x.x.x.

I was tossed and turned in the white bed sheets that laced my bed and I was having a normal dream, which consisted of Star and I, far away from our father and the two of us just being happy without someone having to cause fear in our lives.

"Taylor, wake up."

I jumped up and braced myself for a form of punishment, a slap to the face, or a punch to the stomach. Needless to say, they never came.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Hemoglobin lady smiled and gently patted my knee.

"Breakfast will be ready in a few moments, why don't you go and get dressed? And I have plenty of hot water for you to use if you want to take a shower this morning." Hemoglobin had barely passed the threshold.

"Does the door have a lock?" I called out quietly.

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry, never mind." I called out quickly and quietly.

"No, it's alright, you meant the door in the bathroom right?"

I nodded my head slowly. "Then yes it does." Hemoglobin gave me a puzzled look, before she waved it off and continued out of my line of vision.

Could I take a shower? I never really "took" one before so early in the morning, and while my dad was still sleeping. Should I risk it? I sniffed at myself, I didn't smell too revolting but for someone to offer, was usually a subtle way to say you need one. Sighing and giving God a quick prayer, I gathered up some clothes, baggy jeans, and a baggy shirt and the essentials and I braved my way out to the bathroom, across the hall. I jiggled the handle, tight and sturdy, and I pushed the door open. No creaks, no squeaks, so far I didn't like this door already. How was I to know if my dad had broken the lock and slipped in with me? I'd have to not enjoy the water as much as I liked to, I had to get in, and get out quickly. Turning on the water, I locked the door and put a shirt on the hook that was hidden behind the door, and waited for the water to warm up. I lazily drew circles around my arms, my bruises were starting to fade away, but before these would heal, I knew I'd have newer ones that would sit on top of these and the ones below it wouldn't ever heal. I shook my head, I couldn't be mad at my dad, I could only be mad at myself. If I hadn't been born, I wouldn't have weakened my mother and she'd still be here, and Star wouldn't be living with grandma and dad would be happy and Star wouldn't have ever learned to see what her father looked like now. I ran my fingers through my bed head, the thought of always committing suicide always ran through my head, but I only had one person to live for, Star. If I died then she wouldn't have anyone to save her, or to look out for her. But now that she was with grandma, I could up and off myself and she'd have someone to look after her. As long as Star had someone to look after her, I wasn't really needed anymore.

"_Taylor, no."_

I jumped. What the hell was that?

"_Taylor, you CANNOT kill yourself."_

Was that..

"_Yeah, i'm still here in your head."_

I wrapped my arms around my body, I forgot about the temporary voice in my head. Why did I have to get the voices? I bet no one else got the voices like I did. Next thing I would know, I'd have Gabs in my head and then everyone else would follow suit and be in my head.

"_Hey, if you don't want me here, then I can always leave."_

Yes, please do. Your ruining my suicidal thoughts and distracting me from a easy way to kill myself.

"_Okay, if that's what you want."_

Yes, it's what I want.

"_Okay Taylor, I'm going now."_

Bye.

"_I'm leaving right now."_

Yes, bye.

"_Just know, if I leave I'm never coming back."_

Yes, I got that. Now goodbye.

"_Never coming back."_

YES I GOT THAT, NOW GO THE HELL AWAY!

Moments later, I waited to hear the voice, but it never said anything else. I really made it go away? See, I knew it wasn't Chad's voice, my head was just playing games with me. There was a knock on the door, and I quickly jumped into the shower.

"Taylor?"

"Yes?"

"We have to leave soon."

"Okay, I'm almost done I swear."

I heard a chuckle, and it was quiet on the other side of the door. Since I was already in the shower, I quickly washed up, using the various fruit smelling shampoos and conditioned my hair. I jumped out of the shower, and quickly shrugged on my clothes and opened the tube of toothpaste and placed a small glob of it on my tongue. I swished it around then quickly gulped it down and did two more small globs of toothpaste in my mouth. I felt beads of water dribbling down my neck and wetting up my shirt. I had to dry my hair, but I didn't have a towel, my curious eyes searched the bathroom and saw a small wash cloth that was dry, and I used it to soak up some of the water. After most of it was dry, I ran my fingers through it, and put it in a ponytail. Then I looked around for some lotion, coming across hand lotion, I used it. Even though I smelt like a foot, at least I wouldn't be ashy. I opened the door, to quickly fly back into the bathroom and hide behind the closed door. Gah! It was my dad, and he was heading right down the stairs. Dammit, and that's where I had to go to get my shoes. I bit my lower lip and decided until he was down the stairs. About two minutes later, I had opened the door and walked out into the hallway to walk right into Hemoglobin.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Hemoglobin took a whiff. "Floral surprise."

I jumped, that was the soap I used. "I'm sorry, I didn't have any, as soon as I get a job, I'll pay you back."

"It's fine. I know you and your father didn't bring much, I was actually hoping to go shopping after school, since we get out early."

I looked down at my feet. _Please don't invite me along._

"And I was hoping you'd want to come with me."

I thought for a moment. How was I supposed to answer that? I didn't have any money and if my father found out...

"Come on, it'll be fun. You'll get to see the city better."

Did I want to see anything better? I knew I'd be leaving soon, a woman can only take as much before she ends up going insane with my father, and before I knew it, I'd be back as his punching bag and used sex bank. I looked up Hemoglobin, she had a plea in her eyes, that glowed with a persistence and wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Besides, we can get you some new clothes."

I sighed. She's not going to quit unless I go along. "Sure. It sounds like fun."

- - - - mhmmhmhmhmh- - - - - -

"Isn't this fun Taylor?" Sarah called out.

I laughed and pushed my legs to faster, So Sarah was right, this was fun. Maybe a little too fun. We were currently running from a group of teens that found out that we had gotten the last two pairs of half off designer jeans in a size thirteen, and five. Sarah and I had taken a wide turn, and were hopping down the stairs, while the mob was stuck on the escalators. Should have taken the stairs. Sarah and I made it to the ruby red convertible and climbed inside. Sarah started it up with a roar and tore out of the parking lot and we made it onto the highway, doing seventy miles an hour. Both of us having laughing giggles, Sarah slowed down to about fifty and we made our way to her house. She wasn't that bad, once you got past the teacher skin, she was just a normal twenty-nine year old woman. When I told her I didn't have a single penny, she told me I deserved it. When I told her, my dad would freak, she told me she'd handle it.

"By the way Taylor, sorry about the noise last night. Your dad seemed..Uhm.." Sarah trailed off

I giggled again. "Oh, ew. I didn't need that visual picture." I didn't need it because I had seen it before.

"Hey, I just wanted to warn you, in case you heard other weird noise at night."

I burst into laughs. I was simply hiding behind the laughs and giggles, I was simply laughing because as long as she stopped asking questions about my bruises I would be fine. But what if she found out about the bruises and who really did them? What if she even found out that I wasn't a virgin and it was my dad's fault? My head began to twist and I peeked at Sarah out of the corner of my eye. What if she already knew?

"Taylor, you know I know you haven't had much of a female role in your life, but I want to hopefully change that and be around for a while."

Sarah could stay around as long as she wanted to. I didn't mind, but eighteen was three and a half years away for me, would she really want to say around for that long?

"Taylor, I know who really gave you those bruises."

Holy shit, I'm really dead now.

- - - - - - - - o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o.o- - - - - - - -

_**So, I'm sure you all saw that coming, I didn't see it coming till I typed it and just went with it. I wanted it to be much longer, but things are still swirling in my head. So, Taylor was even making me depressed when she was talking about suicide, Gah, she made it so hard I had to go and do something happy for a while. **_Love me, fat or skinny **_Has been updated and I only got one review so, if you love that story don't forget to show it a little love, because I haven't been getting the review amounts that I've been wanting, so have a great summer. And also in case some of you were confused, keep in mind, Taylor hasn't had much, like a simple toothbrush or toothpaste. Let alone her own towel because of her father, who doesn't do much working anymore. Remember, he'd charm whores to come live with him to be able to live in the place he was currently living in and to still survive. So when Taylor was scared to use the washcloth, it's because she's never really used one, and probably not a clean one either. So just keep that in mind. Anyway.. Two reviews? One? Something? Thanks._**

**ME NO OWNY HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, Because if I did, I'd have about five or six more movies out by now. **


	7. Five angels and one selfish life

"Aaron! What the hell?"

My father looked like a lost puppy. His eyes were downcast, and his shoulders slumped over. He looked like half of his size, bent over like he was.

I was half bent, half hidden behind Sarah. I wasn't hiding behind her because I could, but because she pushed me behind her. This wasn't how I wanted to confront my father. To be honest, I didn't have to do much talking after Sarah put two and two together.

"How could you hurt your little girl? You, go on and on about how your always so concerned about her well being, but yet you place bruises on her body. No human deserves what your putting Taylor through."

"What's next? You'll be doing this to me next?"

Neither I, nor my dad said anything.

Sarah jumped back in shock and all but knocked me over. Her hand flew to her mouth and gasped. I eyed Sarah out of the corner of my eye. I mean, come on lady, you really did not expect my dad to use you next? If he hits his own daughter, you would be the next on the list. I sighed, now it would be the street for us. More bruises, and more of a sex bank for me.

"You know what Aaron, get out."

My dad sputtered. "What?"

"You heard me, Get. Out."

"Fine." My father had a twisted smile on his face. He reached behind Sarah, and grabbed my wrist.

Sarah grabbed his hand and ripped it from my wrist. "Taylor stays with me."

"What?" My father and I gaped.

Sarah smiled at me. "I want to keep you Taylor. Hopefully, if you want to stay I mean."

I looked at my father. He had a triumphant smile on his face. He knew I was going to pick him. He just knew it. I looked back at Sarah, if I stayed with her, I could keep going to school. I wouldn't have to worry about too much. I could live happy. I looked back at my dad, if I didn't go with him he'd hurt Sarah. She was another angel I was graced with knowing. I had my share of angels. God wasn't sparing me anymore. Three is the lucky number. I sighed and slumped my shoulders for a moment and let my stone of a stature, come back and walked from behind Sarah to my father.

"Thank you, but no. If you kick my father out, your kicking me out too."

My father smiled crudely and kissed my forehead. "Thanks baby. Thanks Sarah for accusing me of hitting my daughter and having sex with her."

Sarah had a look of fear across her face. Oh the horror.

"Taylor?"

"Thank you but no Sarah." I repeated.

"Taylor, baby, go upstairs and get your things. We are leaving."

I turned on my heel and tore up the stairs. As I pounded the stairs, I let a tear slip down my cheek. I swiped at it. I know I was being stupid, but I had to save the angel. God's angels aren't supposed to be hurt or in pain. Sarah would get over it. I grabbed my already packed bag and went back down the stairs. No time to be selfish. I looked at Sarah one final time and murmured a 'goodbye' and followed behind my father's hand on my shoulder. My father and I crossed the threshold and my father closed the door behind him.

We walked down the street, my father's hand still on my shoulder. His grip instantly tightened. I whimpered. His nails dug into my shoulder, and I could feel the skin breaking under his touch and my blood spilling into the surface.

My father leaned into my ear. "Did you have fun telling her about what I do to you? Did you enjoy telling her over lunch? Or maybe you told her when you were kissing up to her for a grade."

I didn't respond. I didn't tell her you ass. If I told her, I would have been right there preaching with her.

"Oh, so now you won't answer when I'm talking to you." He squeezed harder, more blood pumped out.

I squirmed a bit, and my father pushed his dirty nails in deeper. I was going to have an infection. No doubt.

"Good thing you didn't stay with little miss save the day. I would have fought to have to keep what is mine." My father brought his nose closer to my neck and ran his nose along the length of my neck. "And you Taylor, are ALWAYS going to be mine."

I tried not to tense up, I really tried. But I did. And I knew my father felt it.

"Oh, so now you cringe away from me? What? Am I that revolting to you now Taylor? You think your too good for me?"

"N-n-no Daddy." I cried out.

"I'm not that light skinned boy that you had sex with? The one with all the muscles and the hair sticking up in all directions? I'm not built like he is? I'm not "sexy" like he is?"

I didn't say anything.

"So you DID have sex with him? You dirty little slut. You laid on your back the whole time and took him in you like a used up, swollen sperm bank?"

"Hey now!" A new voice called out.

My father and I turned to the voice. It was hard to see where the voice was coming from, it was quite dark and a bit late. Like eleven o'clock late. A light flooded onto us, and I jumped back from the harsh-ness of the light. I gaped. It was beefy boy. I mean Braiden.

"Taylor?"

I didn't say anything. I just met his eyes.

"Taylor? Is this one of your...friends?" my father pulled his nails out of my shoulder blade. And I could feel blood gushing out of the wounds.

"No father, he's not one of my friends." I turned my back onto Braiden.

"Taylor? Why is your back all bloody?"

Shit. I turned back around and knew I was in deep shit. "Uhm, I just hurt myself."

Braiden looked at my father. "Sir, why is your hand all blood as well?"

My father laid his hand back over my bloody spot. "I was helping her to the doctor."

Braiden crossed his arms over his beefy chest. "Sir, the doctor is in the other direction."

My father had a smile on his face. "Sure it is, I'm new in town and haven't exactly learned where everything is."

"Sir, Taylor has been in school a month now, that is plenty more time to know where everything is."

My father was caught and he knew it. My father placed his hand back on my shoulder and pushed me back down the street.

"Hey! You aren't taking her anywhere." Braiden jumped off of the step and charged down after us.

My father pushed me and gaped me to run. My knees buckled before I began running. It all happened in slow motion. Braiden caught my father in a hug, and my father's nails dug into my shoulder blades again, and took me with him. Braiden tried to shake me loose, but my father's nails were digging in deeper. My father ripped his nails out of my shoulder blades, and his hands went around my upper arms and tried to dislocate my arms from my sockets, when I was ripped from the clutches of my father's arms.

"Shea, take her back to your place. Get her help and call the police!"

I looked up through my closed eyes, and saw Shea's face. Her face was laced with concern and worry. Following Braiden's orders, Shea took off down the street, and as she rounded the corner, I blacked out.

- - - - - -A N G E L S- - - - - -

"Taylor?"

I heard beeping.

"Taylor?"

"Come on, wake up."

"She may not want to. Her braind is saying it is safe in her sleep. What has happened to her, no doubt over her life, has put her body under stress."

I moaned.

"She's coming to."

My eyes didn't want to open.

"Or not."

A hand was placed on my hand. "Take your time waking up. Your safe here. I promise."

"I don't believe in promises."

I could hear gasping. I my eyes slowly fluttered open and blurry figures stood around me. Three of the faces I knew, one I did not know.

"Mrs. He-mo-golibe?"

"Mrs. H works fine." Sarah chuckled.

"So, you only recognize our teacher, but yet you don't recognize us?"

"I know your there, Braiden and Shea."

I heard laughs, and then it was down to business. I was asked questions about my previous healthcare, which was sad to say that I had never been to a doctor in a while. I had a bruised rib from when my father threw me down the stairs, a fractured wrist that never really healed, from when my dad grabbed my writs too hard and pulled me towards him, where I landed into a wall. Bruises laid upon for miles on my body, and my newest additions, my devil claws, were not infected, but were pretty deep.

"Taylor?"

I looked over at Shea. "I never did thank you and Braiden for saving me." I looked over at Sarah. "You as well."

Shea waved off her hand. "That's not what I was going to ask. How come you never told anyone about your bruising? You never walked or acted different."

I struggled to sit up. "Well, when you've been abused as long as I have, you learn to just accept it."

"You talk about it like you deserved it."

"I do." I murmured. "If I hadn't been born, my dad would still have his wife, and my sister would not be with my grandmother. They would be a happy family, minus me." I smiled.

"Taylor, you belong on this earth, just as well as anyone else does."

"No I don't. Sometimes I wonder if God messed up and let a reject, such as me, slip through. My mother should be here now, happy and my dad should be happy with her and his daughter Star."

Shea smiled. "Your sister's name is Star?"

I nodded. "I named her. My mother died right after giving birth, I was only four at the time. And it was the only word I could say, needless to say, my dad thought it was cute and named her Star." My smile faltered.

Shea sat down on the edge of my bed and grabbed my hand. "What's she like?"

"My mother? Beautiful. Although I don't remember a lot about her, I do remember that she had a smile that lit up rooms. She made everyone feel like they danced on air. She made the darkest days light and happy, and her laugh. The tinkle of bells. Her eyes were always twinkling. So clear."

Shea smiled still. Sarah grabbed my other hand. I smiled at them, and my eye watered. I blinked back tears. No crying.

"Taylor, your almost too strong to be as strong as you are."

I shrugged. "I wasn't allowed to cry as a kid. I'm still not."

"Not allowed to cry?"

I nodded my head. "If I did, I would be hit. Slapped or punched."

"Taylor? You don't ever, Ever. Be afraid to cry."

I smiled and laughed. "Of course when someone tells me to cry, I don't have to."

- - - - - - -C R Y I N G N O W ? ?- - - - - -

I slowly walked through the threshold. I placed my bag down. And I rub my arms. "Are you sure you don't mind me staying here? Because I can live by myself."

"Positive. You would be staying with Mrs H, but she's in the process of moving so your crazy ass dad can't find you or her."

"I knew if I ran faster, or said something to Braiden I wouldn't be here right now, you guys wouldn't all be in danger, and I wouldn't have to put anyone out."

"Taylor, it's fine. We can handle ourselves. Honest. Besides I think Mrs. H is going to adopt you."

"Me?" I pointed to myself. "But she doesn't know me. I'm one of her students."

"A student that I like."

I jumped, there was Mrs. H, walking in through another threshold. She gathered me into her arms and stroked my hair. She pulled back and held my face in her hands. "Taylor, I would like to adopt you. If you'll let me. I can adopt your sister Star too."

"But I told you my grandmother has custody of her."

"I can still fight for her."

"My grandmother might not like that." I smiled.

"That's her own fault for letting you be abused by your father."

Sarah stood up. And beckoned Shea and I upstairs. We followed her, and as we moved up the stairs, a policeman closed the front door behind us. We trotted up the stairs and there were policemen-a-frenzy. Sarah, continued to move through the upstairs, policemen moving out of her way. She led us to a bedroom, where Shea and I sat on a bed.

"So the house, is surrounded by some of the best policemen in the country and worldwide. It has the latest, and best security that money can buy. So you girls are safe."

"Uhm..Sarah?"

"Taylor?"

"Why are you spending so much money on me? I'm not really worth all of it."

"Ah, but you are Taylor."

"I'm not actually."

"Taylor..."

"Please, Sarah. I'm not. Especially if someone gets killed because of me."

"Taylor.."

"Please! Just call the cops back and let my dad go free. And let me go back with him. No one will get hurt."

"But you'll be hurt."

"Do you not get it? I don't care what happens to me! All five of you are angels. Braiden, Sarah, Shea, Star and Chad! You all aren't suppose to be crossing my path at all, your supposed to be with people that don't have fucked up lives like mine!"

Shea and Sarah looked at each other. "I'm an angel? Chad? Who's Chad?"

"Yes, you are an angel, all of you are. And Chad is a guy I used to know. He was my best friend and he moved away, last summer."

Shea looked at me. "Your in love with him."

I blushed. "I wouldn't say all of that now."

"Your eyes lit up when you talked about him. Taylor is in love with this Chad person. AWWWW!"

I blushed, and hoped that my Chad voice wouldn't suddenly just pop into my head and hear what was going on.

"Well, I'll have to meet this Chad person and tell him to keep you safe."

"You aren't going to have to. He moved away to Italy and I haven't heard anything from him since. Neither have any of my friends."

"Seems like I'm going to have to find him and cuss him out. He's doing you dirty already."

"No, Shea. You don't have to. He has a new life, he's forgotten about me."

"Sheesh, Taylor. You don't see yourself clearly do you?"

"I see myself fine. No one would want used goods. I've been raped more than once, and I've been filled up with sperm. It's a surprise how I'm not pregnant."

No one said anything. Yeah, I didn't tell anyone that my dad released inside me. That was something only the doctor and I knew. But with it being said, now Sarah wouldn't want me and no one would get hurt.

Sarah came over to me and hugged me tightly against her. I felt her body shake and I felt moistness on my head. She was crying. Why, I didn't know.

"You Taylor, are a strong girl. If you would have killed your father, I wouldn't have blamed you."

"I couldn't kill my dad even if I wanted to. I'm too scared that he'll haunt me into his next life."

- - - - - A F T E R L I F E? ? ?- - - - - - -

I hung out of the side of the car window. "Thanks Shea! I'm so glad I met you!"

Shea had a sad smile on her face. And Braiden wrapped his arms around her. "Likewise Taylor! Don't think your getting rid of me that easily! I'm coming to visit as soon as your settled in."

"Braiden! I'm glad I met you too. Thanks for everything, keep Shea safe and quit with the make-out sessions in the hallways. You blind more people than lights do!"

That got them laughing. Even Sarah got a giggle out of that. And with that Sarah turned the convertible over and we followed the moving truck down the street.

I turned back fully into the seat. "You can tell me now, where are we going?"

"I'm still not saying. It's a surprise."

"Good or bad?"

"I'm not answering that either."

"Mom." I moaned out.

Sarah's face lit up. Yes, she had finally adopted me just yesterday. And it was legal as of this morning. I had a mom. I hoped my other mom wouldn't mind it too much. I shook my head. My mommy didn't mind. Last night she came to me in a dream and told me as long as I was happy, and got to see a smile on my face she was happy too. I wanted to ask her so many questions but all I did in my dream was drink in my mom. We sat in a grassy field and my mom sat next to me, her eyes always on me, my own on her. And we just sat in silence thought my dream. And when Sarah woke me up, I woke up with a smile and I hugged Sarah with everything I had deep in me.

"You aren't still hungry are you? I can flag down the truck and we can stop and get you something else to eat."

"Mom, I'm fine. You made me eat double at breakfast. I might not want to eat for months."

Sarah smirks. "Well I know you had yucky hospital food and breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

I looked over at Sarah. "You and I both know that the hospital food wasn't all that bad. Don't think I didn't catch you snacking off of my plate when I was sleeping." I laughed

"Guilty."

Sarah and I both laughed and we continued down the road and merged onto the very same highway that Sarah had reached seventy miles an hour.

- - - - - -S E V E N T Y M I L E S- - - - - - -

I was dreaming of butterflies, and endless fields. Star grabbed my hand and I grabbed her as well and we began to run in slow motion. But the slow motion was fine. Star had a smile on her face and I looked up, Sarah was within twenty feet of us, and we were running towards her. Within arms reach a boom sounded without the meadow and I closed my eyes. I opened them to find Star and Sarah both dead. Both had bullet holes to the head and heart, and before my eyes more bullets were pouring into them. I looked up to find my father, with a giant smile on his face looking at me with lust in his eyes. He took a step towards me and I flinched back.

"I told you Taylor, your mine. And you always will be mine!" My father cackled and with a flick of his writs, Sarah and Star both rose.

Both having pain etched into their faces, they began to moan. "Why didn't you save us Taylor? Why?"

"I'm hurting Taylor, save me."

I clamped my hands over my ears to drown out the moaning, but it became louder. "I"m sorry, I'm sorry!" I cried out.

"Taylor?"

I gasped and sat up. I placed a hand to my forehead. I sat up to fast. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I sat up to fast."

"Taylor? Please don't shoot me when I say this but, the doctor said that you might want to try counseling."

I looked over at Sarah. Counseling? "Uhm.."

"You don't have to decide right now. But I want you and I to try it."

"You'd come with me?"

Sarah looked at me. We were at a red light. We were in some town. That should have looked familiar but wasn't.

"Of course. I wouldn't make you go by yourself. We could do a private one or a group. Money is no object."

"Mooooom, I thought we agreed you wouldn't spend anymore money on me that wasn't necessary."

Sarah and I fought for hours about money. I never had a lot of it, and Sarah came from a family that, well, had it.

"Taylor, honey, this is necessary."

I wrapped my arms around my chest. I mumbled along the lines of 'you win this time' and Sarah laughed at my grumbles. Sarah took off when the light turned green and jumped into a turning lane. We sat in the turning lane, which seemed forever to turn green and we turned down a street. We followed the street, as it zigzagged, until Sarah stopped in front of a house. Sarah killed the engine and looked over at me.

"Why did we stop?"

"Because we are here."

"Here?"

She nodded her head and opened her door. I followed suit and opened my own and stepped out of the car. I looked at the house and gasped. The house was incredibly beautiful. It was big, but not overly big. It had a green outside exterior and it had, yet, another white picked fence. I turned to Sarah, "You have a thing for house with white picked fences huh?"

Sarah laughed and tossed me the keys. I looked down at the keys and back at Sarah, who had her head draped on the hood of the car. Looking at me.

"Go check it out. You can have any room you want."

I smiled and closed the door. I walked up to the fence and opened it. I stepped through, then walked up the path. I got to the door and put the key in the door. I turned the key to the right and the door unlocked, underneath my palm and I opened the door to my new life.

Unknown P.O.V.

I was shaking my hips to the beat of the song. I was following my lead, who had turned around and was facing the crowd. I, too, turned around. I love the night partying. And I love here!

"You have a phone call, Nipote!"

I stopped shaking my hips and jumped down off of the platform and ran through the crowd. I got to the door and was pointed to where the phone was. I picked up the receiver.

"Ciao?"

"Hello?"

"I'm sorry, Hi who is this?"

"You have to go back."

"Go back?"

"Yes dork, she needs you."

"Who needs me?"

"I can't tell you that, just go back to where you left your heart."

"Left my heart?"

"She holds the other half of yours, just like you hold hers."

"What? Hold on, is this some sort of prank?"

"Come back to the states and you'll understand. Back to where your heart was left."

And with that the phone went dead. What the hell? Go back to the states? Where my heart was left? Last time I checked I had my heart. And it was beating loudly in my chest.

"Mamma! Abbiamo bisogno di parlare."

- - - - - - - - - C A N Y O U G U E S S W H O? ?- - - - - -

**And now I'm done. So this was eleven pages, and I hope you all like it. Sorry for the long lack of an update. Anyone that can guess where Taylor is then you get the next chapter, eleven dedicated to you. If you can guess who was called, you get the following chapter, twelve dedicated to you. And if you can guess what language was spoken at the end you can have chapter, thirteen dedicated to you. And if you can guess who called the "dork" and gave them vague details, then you can have chapter, fourteen dedicated to you as well. Four possible chances to have a chapter dedicated to you. A loyal reader. I hope you all have a great remaining summer, and a beautiful start of a new school year. Thank you. **


	8. Leave out all the rest

Wrapped up in a cloud of fog, I wrapped my pink towel around me. My blue towel to my head. I patted barefoot to my room, for the carpet would absorb the water as I walked. The room lit up as I walked in, my first stop to my closet. I pulled the doors towards me, and walked inward.

_I dreamed I was missing  
You were so scared_

My hand floated over fabric, and pushed the fabric around. None of these were right. I stretched on my toes, why did the bar have to go so far up? I thought that it was supposed to be getting fixed? Or at least I remembered complaining about it. Well, not complaining but saying something about it. I had no room to complain about anything.

_But no one would listen  
Cause no one else cared_

By now, I had walked the entire closet, and could not find it. How could it have gone missing when I had it mere hours ago? Sighing, and relaxing my toes, I walked out of the closet with my hand to my chin. It was in here last time I looked. My eyes fell to the floor and I immediately gasped. Crap!

_After my dreaming  
I woke with this fear_

My hand inched over and over. Front to back, back to front. Side to side. From the top to bottom. Bottom to top. I smoothed my hands over again. I had to tell myself to stop touching it, even though it felt so smooth under my fingertips. Maybe I should have reversed the order. Hair first then getting dressed. I shook my head, if I reversed it I would have had a hard time. I draped my towel over my shoulders, and pulled it tightly against myself. I slowly unwrapped the towel from my head. Watch it!

_What am I leaving  
When I'm done here_

I sighed. I was on my own tonight. Even though she promised she would be here to help me. I had never done this before. But work of course work comes first before first timers. I could do this. Maybe. The sizzling of this contraction was starting to scare me a bit. Why did the machine have to be so mad? I brought it closer to me, for me to quickly pull it back. Did I just see it glow a bright red? Oh hell no. I'll go puffy then to lose half of my face.

"Taylor? Tell me you didn't start without me?"

I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. I weakly nodded.

"Help?" I whimpered.

_So if you're asking me  
I want you to know_

"There. Your all done."

"Done as in completely done?"

She smiled. "Done, done."

I exhaled. I had been holding my breath forever. No really, forever. I slowly stood up, and turned to face the mirror. It had been two long years. My eyes sparkled again. My face was bruise free, as well as other parts of my body that were now hidden, while other parts were exposed. But my self esteem still suffered. I still lived everyday like it was my last. Or when my midnight rolled around, I'd be waking up from this dream I had been living for two years. Sarah smiled at me, and ran out of the room. I twirled. My dress stayed with me. Cut at my knees, it bunched up, into rifts to about the section of my thighs. Then smoothed out towards the top. I had a tube top type of dress that screamed my name, apparently to Sarah. At first I wanted nothing to do with the dress, that was until I tried it on. Then I fell in love with it. Again and again. Every time I saw it, it made my stomach speed up, and gave me butterflies. How can cloth do that to someone?

"Taylor! Smile!"

I spun around, and was met with a flash. Damn, she had gotten me.

"Awe! I like that one. That one is going in a frame in the living room. I think I just found your Senior picture."

Yes, I was a full senior in high school now. I snatched the digital camera out of Sarah's hand and looked at the picture. I didn't look that bad. Although..no, there were no "although", I wasn't supposed to like the surprised look of looking innocent. And beautiful. Wait, scratch the beautiful part.

"Ah, Taylor. I hear the doorbell. You wait here and I'll cue you downstairs. No one is going to recognize you."

And with that Sarah walked out of the room.

_When my time comes  
Forget the wrong that I've done_

I sat there looking like an idiot. Why did I come to this thing? I didn't have a date, and I didn't dance. My friends had tried countless times to get me to dance with them. I refused every time. No way in hell was I going to make a fool of myself in front of the whole school. Nu huh, no way. I sighed and crossed my legs and slumped over. I know I shouldn't slouch, even in this dress, but I was feeling down and lonely. My friends were on round sixteen of dancing, so they wouldn't be back for a while. I sat back up and picked at my nails. Even though there was nothing to pick at, they were "professionally" manicured so I could barely write in the damn things, let alone pick a thread if it was persistent. I was stuck. I was not having fun. Of course I got looks, second glances and my favorite, double takes but it seemed that I turned the game. Instead of me being the shy one to talk to a boy, they were either scared of me or..just didn't want to talk to me. Course, who would talk to nerdy Taylor? I was still not the same at school since _he_ left. Everyday I hoped that I would either see him in his old seat waiting for me, or when I got home, he would be sitting on my front steps waiting for me. Sure, my friends were great, I loved them with everything I had but they didn't compare to_ him. _If anything, every night I wished on "airplanes" and at 11:11 for him to come in my life. But two years is a long time to wish for one thing for it not to have happened.

"Taylor. I know this is useless since you've told us no every time but.."

"Sure."

Gabi as well as Sharpay's mouths hung open. "Sorry Ladies, I'm full of surprises tonight."

_Help me leave behind some  
Reasons to be missed_

"Alright I'm done." I stomped off the dance floor. My friends scurried after me.

"What happened? You were doing fine."

So says Ry, who had his feet stepped on more times than I could count. "Ry, you need those toes in the morning for practice. I'll be damned if we lose next week, because of me, trying to." I stopped and thought of a not so nice word. "Dance."

Ry caught me in his arms. And just hugged me tight. Ah, Ryan smelt so good. I laid my head on his shoulder and just took breaths. Before I knew it, Ry had me back out on the dance floor just simply swaying with me to the fast beat. Now swaying, I could do. There was no science or math to it. Just stand there and let all the magic happen. I was passed to Zeke, who passed me to Troy, who passed me back to Ry. I didn't deserve such great guys. I brought my hand to Ry's neck. I still hadn't told them what happened. Why, I moved and why I came back. I never brought my friends over to my house. I never excepted rides from them. I walked every where. I never had Sarah drive me anywhere. And I knew she felt bad, like I was ashamed of her. It was quite the opposite. But I didn't want my friends to think of anything. Or to feel sorry for what had happened to me.

"See Taylor? Your dancing." Ry beamed.

"Only because your holding me up and leading me."

_And don't resent me  
And when you're feeling empty  
Keep me in your memory_

"Why do all of us girls flock to the bathroom like this? This is ridiculous! Over half of us still look like we just got done getting dress." I snapped.

"Because. It gives us time to gossip. Duh Taylor."

Sorry I'm not a real girl Gabi. I sighed and stood in front of a mirror because it was the only place that wasn't crowed. Our bathroom was usually big, but that was only because there were only a few girls that ever used the bathroom at school. Not when all of the girls at our school are in here hiding out. Gabi touched up her lipstick, and Sharpay fluffed her hair and Kelsi just stood next to me, doing the same thing I was, trying not to scoff and shake her head.

"So, Taylor.."

"So Gabi.." I mocked.

Gabi looked over at Sharpay, and Sharpay looked over at her. What is going on?

"How come...How come..." Gabi trailed

"How come you don't let us come over any more?" Sharpay finished.

"Because, I told you, we still have boxes every where."

"Taylor you've been here two years."

Damn. "Because...were in the middle of remodeling."

"That has gone on for two years?"

"Yes. You know how long it takes for perfection."

"Taylor, you know if something is going on at home-"

"Nothing is going on at home, Sharpay. We. Are. Remodeling."

And with that I walked out of the bathroom. Well more like limped because of my heels. I opened the gym door and walked out. Well almost. I went to the floor, on my butt.

_Leave out all the rest  
Leave out all the rest_

I squeezed the cold liquid into my wet palm, and set down the bottle on the ledge as best as I could. I can't see, I have water in my eyes. I rub my palms together, and place them on my chest, working in a clock like motion. Rubbing down my chest, my fingertips brush along the stiffness of my skin. Scratching at it, and poking at it I realize, I need to double my pack from six, to about twelve. Although, they are hard, and very tan, it's not enough for me.

Man, it was so hard adjusting back to English being my first language. After being in Italy for two and a half years. I adjusted my white tie. Why the hell was I going to this thing? I was never one for dances. But then I realized, what better way to surprise my friends than to show up at senior homecoming? You right, there is no better way. Besides, if I wait till Monday, I may be spotted and it wouldn't be a surprise. And I don't think I can live with these butterflies until Monday either. So, ta-da, I bought my wedding suite from my cousin's wedding three weeks ago, and borrowed my dad's white tie and I jumped in my car and drove off to my old High school. I drummed my thumbs on my wheel. Wait, I didn't think. What if my friends don't want to be my friends anymore? I shook my head. Never. That wouldn't happen..would it? Just because I didn't call or write they wouldn't forget me that fast, would they?

I rubbed my wrists. I didn't expect to get in so fast, or easy but Nancy, remembered me. Of all people. I chuckled to myself, she of course joked and told me that I wouldn't recognize Taylor. Of course, I didn't expect to recognized anyone tonight. Hopefully I would just remember them and they would remember me. Hopefully they didn't change too much, it'll be a bitch trying to make new friends, this late in the year. I made my way through the crowd, and stood along a less crowed wall. I bobbed my head to the music. Not that it wasn't Italian, but it wasn't complete garbage.

"Hi."

I turned my head. "I haven't seen you around here. Are you new?"

A girl. She wore a simple purple dress. She was easy on the eyes but that was about it.

"Sort of."

She laughed. "It can't be both, either you are or you aren't."

"I lived here but then I moved away."

She nodded her head. "Let me guess...your the guy that was Taylor's best friend?"

My mouth fell open. "How did you know that?"

"Because I've been told, I would know him when I see him. "

Good old Gabs. Spreading me around like butter. "Ah, then you must be a friend of Taylor's then?"

"Not really, we know one another but..not on a level that your talking about."

I nod my head. "So..are any of them here?"

"Yes, actually, their over on the dance floor."

"Thanks." I notice that the girl seems a little down. "Did you want to dance or something?"

"I did, but I know that your head won't be in the dance. I'll come find you later Chad." And with that the girl walked away.

How the hell she knew my name was beyond me. Maybe Gabs told her my name, anyway, I put one foot in front of the other and began to walk towards the dance floor. I almost made it too, but then I saw a girl.

"Alright I'm done." The girl walked passed me and I turned to see her but she got lost in the crowd. I followed behind her to ask what was wrong but a blond haired guy beat me to it. He put his arms around her, and she melted into him! They must be going out. Either that, or that's his date and he's known her for a while. The guy then begun to gently sway her, and she swayed back. The were obviously a couple. No doubt. Then the guy lead the girl back to the dance floor. I had to admit, the girl did look familiar, almost like Taylor but Taylor wouldn't be here, even if Gabi herself got her here. No way.

For the remainder of the night, I kept my eyes on the girl in the pretty white dress. Although, what puzzled me was when she was dancing with Blondie, she got passes around to these other guys. Holy cow, the boy with blue eyes, it was Troy! I smiled to myself, so he came. Then that meant Gabby was around. I gotta find Gabs.

"Dude, why do girls always have to go to the bathroom together?"

"Dude if I knew, I would be rich."

"Amen to that."

The guys erupted in laughter. This is my chance. I cleared my throat. "Excuse me guys..."

The guys laughter came to a cease and their eyes fell on me. "Yes?" Troy answered.

"Guys..it's me."

They all looked at me funny. "Me who?" Zeke asked.

"Dude, Troy, it's me. Chad."

They all stared at me. Then they looked at each other dumb founded.

"Were sorry, but our friend _Chad_ wouldn't dare show his face around here without at least sending some sort of something from the past two years that he's been gone." Ryan spat.

"Guys, I can explain.."

"Why the hell would you do that to us? To Taylor? If anyone, why Taylor? Why even me?" Troy sympathized.

"Guys, I'm really sorry but.."

"What? Your going to run out of our lives again like you did before?" Ryan spat.

"Guys, look I didn't come to fight with you guys. If you guys were true friends you would have graced me with hugs."

"True friends keep in touch no matter what Chad, and you know this."

I turned my back on them. Screw them, I knew if anyone would be happy to see me it had to be the girls. And they were obviously in the bathroom. I made my way to the double doors, when something bumped into me. And it fell to the floor.

"I am so sorry, I didn't watch were I was going.." I trailed off.

I leaned down to help the girl up, when I locked eyes with her. She had pretty dark brown eyes. Wait these eyes.

"Chad?"

"Chad?" I choked out. No way, this wasn't Chad.

"Do I know you?" He spoke out.

See I knew it. "No, I'm sorry. You just remind me of this friend I used to have." I stood up with the help of the stranger.

"Say, you just came out of the ladies' bathroom did you not?" He asked.

My face twisted into confusion. Did I have toilet paper on my heel? "Uhm..yeah I did." I answered slowly.

"Do you know of four girls that go by the names of Gabriella Montez, Sharpay Evans, Kelsi Nielson and Taylor McKessie?" He asked.

"Taylor? There you are!" Gabi ran up to me.

"Here I am. Guys, someone's looking for us." I gesture to the guy in front of me.

"Well, here we all are. What did you need from us?" Shar takes charge.

The guy beamed at everyone but me. "Gabs, Shar, Kelsi, it's me. Chad."

I tried not to smile. I really did. I couldn't help but bust into laughter.

- - - - D U N D U N D U N- - - - -

**My surprise twist. Sorry for the long update, happy late Thanksgiving to you all! **


	9. Italian Hottie

"Don't even look at him. Trust me your better off without knowing he exists." Gabi sneered.

Letting out a breath, I pushed my head down. I held a red tray in my hands and I was more or less following Gabriella, Sharpay, and possibly Kelsi. Trudging to the upper level of the cafeteria, where the guys awaited us, I merely fell in line with the girls. Why my friends were so hard against the new guy I would never know. Chad declared that he was "Chad" however, I knew better. I secretly knew Chad did not exist anymore. Whether he was dead or he was an angel I'll never know, but I knew one thing was for sure, this guy, the "Italian hottie" was not my Chad. Wait, my Chad? Where did that come from? I shook my head. It was like what, two months ago when homecoming made this giant "excitement" happen. After I knocked the Chad guy over, the girls all decided to grace Chad with a slap each, to his cheeks. I, myself, just stood there like a fish out of water. Some words were exchanged, and everyone went their separate ways. So, now, Chad is like the coolest social outcast there has ever existed. Teenage rumors were so silly. So now, it's like the whole tinkle town thing all over again, sides against sides, friends against friends. People were just against one another.

I peeked out from under my eyelashes, cast a glance at Chad. He sat alone today, picking at a salad. Chad let out a breath and pushed his hand under his chin.

My heart went out to the poor guy. What did he do wrong? What did I do wrong? Why was I in the wrong? I stood up, my chair scrapping loudly against the floor. My hands wrapped around my untouched lunch. My feet knew where to go, I just let them lead. I hardly heard my friend's voices calling after me, I had a mission in mind, if anyone knew me better they would know when Taylor had a project in mind, better believe that she would seek it out. Right now, Chad was my mission. Flying down the stairs, the room seemed to become a faint hum in my ears. Chad was getting closer.

"Taylor!"

I jumped back.

"Martha? Oh. Hey." Clearing my throat, I stepped back a bit. "What's going on?"

"That's the same thing I'm wondering about you."

I pointed to myself. "Why would you wonder about me?"

Martha pointed behind me. My friends were trying to catch my attention, calling out my name. Yeeeeah, screw those losers behind me.

"Oh." I raised my shoulders and pushed them back down. "What do they have to do with me?"

"Well, they seem to be acting like your their lab experiment and you've escaped."

That wording just pissed me off. Martha could tell too.

"Maybe that was the wrong wording." Martha tripped over her words.

I walked around Martha, and set my eyes on brown eyes. I pressed on.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" I cleared out.

Chad gestured freely to a seat, I plopped down. For a few moments, Chad just sat in silence, as did I.

"Was this some sort of contest?"

"Pardon me?"

"Were you sent to me, as some sort, of...I don't know test or something?" Chad proposed with an Italian lisp.

"I'm my own person, I'm nobody's messenger." I expressed a smile.


	10. Misunderstood

_ I wasn't expecting to write again so soon, but I guess you all liked the last chapter. So much foot traffic, it made me happy to know that this story hasn't died. Sure, no reviews __are coming in, but as long as it's getting looked at, that's all that matters._

_ I wasn't going to do an author's note, but I needed to address something. Yesterday, I received a review for the sister story of "Dirty Truth", "Right Where You Want Me." And I'm not sure if the person that reviewed has read this one too or not, but for that person that did review I do want to thank you for giving me your input. Every little bit helps me, although I do need to mention that I wrote that story four years ago. As a freshman in High School, you don't know a lot about writing, I know I didn't. And I'm still learning, but I am aware that "Right Where You Want Me" has so many mistakes that it is hard to read through it, and that it has no character development and a bunch of other stuff you said and I might, MIGHT consider re-writing it but as right now goes, I'm leaving it as it is. I think got my point across, and people wanted a chapter story from it, and this chapter story was born. This chapter story is what I'm working on, and I'm not trying to make everything little thing perfect. I run my chapters through a spell check and I do re-read what I have written but stuff slips by. I'm sorry if it bothers you, but I'm doing the best I can. If you would like to become my beta I have no problem with it, but right now I have to be my own beta. I'm sorry for ranting and going on and on. Thank you for telling me what you told me I will keep it in the back of my mind when I'm writing._

_ On a happier note, I think you all like shorter chapters. I haven't found a pattern that you all like, but I'm working on it. Happy early birthday to someone I know incredibly well. I hope she spends that day with an amazing bang._

- - - - An - - - -

"I am so sorry that I am late, Taylor."

I glance up from my textbook, advanced Chemistry and met dark brown eyes. The sunlight collected against the iris, and was met with twinkles. "Hello Chadwick." My mouth crinkled at the edges.

Chad's face contoured into disgust. Oh, yeah, he hated it when I called him that. Shrugging my shoulders, I could not help calling him Chadwick because Chad was a different person. Wherever he may be, was not with me. Not near me, not talking to me, nor dreaming about me. So, Italian boy was going to be called Chadwick, no matter how much he hated it.

"Taylor, why do you call me, my full name?" Chad looked up at me and seemed to notice my body language. "If you do not mind me asking."

Picking up my shoulders, then dropping them I mumbled a few words and closed my textbook. I began to pack up my things.

"Today is Thursday, is it not?"

Nodding my head, I threw my bag over my left shoulder. "Sorry, I spaced out on the date. Tomorrow at the library at four? Does that work for you?" I rounded off.

Chad nodded his head with a smile. "I'll be there with bells on." Then winked at me.

I merely blinked. I walked off towards the teacher parking lot. Thursday, Sarah made me ride home with her. As much as I tried to fight it, I knew she felt that I was embarrassed of her. This of course, was the opposite. I was proud of Sarah in so many ways, a bunch having to deal with that she took me in when, well you all remember the details. I, used and abused Taylor Ann McKessie, had gone almost two full years of not having a beating and not being molested.

"Taylor!"

My head whipped around so fast that I knocked into someone.

"Oof!"

"I am so sorry!"

"Oh. Crap, that hurt."

"It's you."

Gabi, dusted herself down, stood up, held out a hand to me. I gently grasped it. Gabi and I locked eyes with each other for a moment. So much ran between her and I, the past month, the last few years, everything. I shook my head and stood up, with the slight help of Gabi's strength.

"Were you the one calling me?"

Gabi raised her head. "Guilty as charged." A few moments had slipped by. "Taylor, I am so sorry. About everything, I should have known that if anyone would forgive Chad, it would be you."

Feeling my face heat up, I turned my eyes away from Gabi.

"Thanks for being a friend to him, when the rest of us had our heads so far up our anuses that, we forgot who our true friends are."

"Gabi, shut up. You're babbling." With a smile, I held my arms open.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Gabi plowed into my arms and knocked me over. Gabi and I giggled a little.

"Can we hang out today? It's Thursday."

I raised my chin. "Can't. I have this thing and I'm on my way to it right now." I frowned. "Sorry Hon."

Gabi swung at the air. "No need. It's fine, one day at a time right?"

"Right."

"Are you and Chad sitting with us tomorrow at lunch?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. Don't ask me, I'm not his spoke person. I'm fine with it, but he might not be."

"I'll text him then. I'll walk you."

"NO!" I screeched. I took a breath and gave Gabi my best grin. "I mean, it's cool. It's just up the street not that far of a walk."

"You're life I guess. I missed you Tay."

"You too, Ella Bella."

Gabi waved, turned on her heel and walked off. I watched Gabi walk off and then trekked off to the teacher parking lot. Finding Sarah's red convertible I walked up to the car and found a note.

Taylor,

I'm sorry, there's a teacher's meeting after school that will be a while, so you're going to have to walk home. Again, I'm sorry.

Love, Mom

Huh. Weird. Raising my shoulders, placing my bag higher on my shoulders I began walking to the crosswalk, looked both ways, then crossed the street. I strolled the familiar way that I walked four days a week. Walking past the park, I stopped to tie my shoe.

"Excuse me ma'am."

I stood up, turned around and my backpack fell to the ground with a muffled thud.


	11. Swing Ride

The man in front of me moved towards me. With his arms extended outwards, his arms had tripled in size from what they were before. In such an instance as he loomed closer, his muscles now were the size around a grapefruit and pear fused together. With a twitch his muscles moved, and the muscles began to dance around while my vision became dark spots. Blinking away the spots, my eyes zoomed in on his crooked, white, straight smile.

"Taylor. It has been too long."

"No." Each small syllable pushed past my dry, cracked, lips.

"Daddy's back for his little girl."

I pushed down the stale saliva that had begun to collect on my tongue. The nightmare that I had dreamed about was finally coming true. I licked my cracking lips and tried to get air into my tightened lungs. My eyes darted up to my father's frame. Why must he pick on me? Why must I be the one that my dad has a sick obsession with? Why didn't the police help me out? Wasn't I the victim once upon a time ago? My father took a few steps and wrapped his arms around me. So very tightly. To any bystander, they would have merely begun to think that this was a tearful reunion. However, that was not the case. In my father's right hand, his hand clawed at my side and swiftly dug his nails into my side. My eyes widened at the intrusion of pain.

"Accept it. This is what happens when you hurt your daddy Taylor baby."

Clutching onto my father for support, his left hand closed around my left breast and lightly tugged on the nipple. Sending more pain to my nerves, this caused me to cry out in pain silently.

"Someone is out of touch with their body. Now that you are older, you'll respond better to me. I only want to make you feel good Taylor. I want to hear your name escaping from your lips."

Starving off nausea, my face turned into a grimace.

_Please don't ask to go home; please don't ask to go home._

"Taylor I've been watching you, from afar of course," My father laughed quietly. "And I must say, you and Sarah did out quite nicely. A white picket fence that wraps around the property, light powder blue color that swims with a two story house, really roomy if I must say."

"And the smell of you, closed off to the world. It is such a shame that the rest of the world can't experience in such a divine smell of you, Taylor." My father took in a gulp of air around me and moaned.

My father fingered the fabric of my t-shirt that was hiding my lower back. "What I wouldn't give to be a teenager again. If I was, you wouldn't get the pleasure that you solely deserve Taylor my sweet."

"Why must it be me?" I whispered into the icy wind.

"Why must it be you? Why you? Why, it can only be you Taylor, my dear. For Star is too far away and still a baby. You, however; are a budding flower that needs constant care and a willingness to grow. To grow so very big and strong.

"Are you punishing me because I weakened my mother?" I screeched out.

Oh, the look my father gave me. Had there not been people around I am quite sure that I would have been lying on the cold, jarred concrete in my own blood. However though, my father pulled his lips into a tight smile and merely patted my arm. With each pat, my body tensed tighter, and tighter. I was so sure that my father could smell the fear raiding off of me in huge, suffocating waves. That would lead anyone to drown in such fierceness of power. In fact, I could feel him poking at me. From below his belt, I could feel such a tight pressure. Biting into me with a force that nearly made me even closer to being sick and tossing my cookies.

"Why, Taylor, you are starting to look green around the gills. Maybe the air is getting to you. We should head home."

"No." I called out. I placed a giant smile on my face. "Why Daddy dearest, I have had a fetish for you to push me on the rusty old swings. As a child I've always wanted you to push me on the swings. Please. I've never wanted to feel any closer to you than having you decide my fate in how high I go in the air."

For a moment I was sure that my dad had seen through my front. Because his face had been wiped clean of a smile that he wore before I opened my mouth; but yet his eyes twinkled with the idea. I may die here. On a swing, in front of a bunch of children and mothers, but at least I could go to Sarah in spirit and warn her of the dangers lurking in the shadows.

"Of course my baby girl," My dad held out his hand. "Lead the way."

I grabbed my dad's outstretched hand and pulled him to walk in line with me. Everything about holding this man's hand made me question what was with my sanity at that moment. Then I remembered; stall. Hope swelled within me. He can't be at my house if Sarah's home, there is no way of hiding him. But did I really want him to come home with me while Sarah was home? He could kill her in seconds flat and then…and then…I would have helped murder someone I loved. I wouldn't be able to live with the guilt for the rest of my life. Maybe stalling wasn't a great plan of attack like I had thought it could be. Panic rose to my throat and began to choke me. Maybe my father wouldn't have to kill me at all, I would kill myself with my own dark, doubting thoughts.

"Are you going to hop onto the swing, sugar?"

Broken in my train of thought, my dad had gotten me to the swing safety. Without touching me. I think. I gulped and climbed into the swing. I clasped the chains for dear life.

"Why sweetness, I won't let you fall."

The swing ride began slow, but with a lot of energy. Higher, and higher I climbed and the faster my father's fingers came in contact with my lower back.

_This is the end; he's going to kill me._

Eyes tightly shut, my breath quivering in my lungs, the loud pelting of my off beating heart and the sharp metal intake of blood pushing into my mouth, I counted my last breaths that entered and escaped my lips. This would be the last time the wind would ever kiss my chapped lips. This would be the last time I would feel my stomach knot itself up into an endless bundle of black knots that would never be able to knot again, when my feet touched the ground. I began to send my silent prayers to God.

Without much of a warning, my ride came to a teeth grinding end. I waited a few moments for the pain to begin to seep into my nervous system, where my brain would send signals for me to address what I needed to do. Those signals never came.

"Did you want to swing some more Taylor?"

My eyes flew open. Chadwick.

"W-what?" I choked out.

With his head cocked to the side and a glint of mischief in his eye, Chadwick asked again. "Would you, Taylor McKessie, like to swing again?"

With a shake of my head I climbed out of the swing. "Uhmm, thanks but no thank you."

Chadwick smiled at me. "Alright, maybe you would like to begin that Chemistry homework that was assigned?"

"Sure."

Chad held out his right hand to me, and I placed my sweaty right palm inside Chadwick's calloused hand. As soon as our hands made contact, a blue icy chill ran up along the length of my arm and settled inside my body. The chill was soon replaced with a spark of heat that raced along my veins and nestled deep in my deep, pounding heart. My frightened eyes found Chadwick's gentle brown eyes.

"I'm sorry my hands are so clammy. Swing rides always give me anxiety attacks."

"You don't fend on heights very well?"

"No, if you're asking me if I don't like heights."

"Sorry, even though English is my first language, we Italians are kind of like Hispanics. When you translate words back into English, you end up throwing extra words into context."

"Understandable."

Chadwick stayed silent, while my mind raced with heavy thoughts. Did I just imagine everything? I can swear up and down that my father was here. Groping me, and putting me in pain. My head swiveled to Chadwick's up turned head. Did Chadwick put me in pain? With my left hand I curled it around my body and felt for tenderness. Nothing.

"Taylor? Is everything alright?"

"Uhmm well.."

"You know Taylor; I've been meaning to talk to you." Chadwick helped me to sit down on a sweaty, blistered woody bench.

"I know when I moved away three year ago, I didn't do that good of a job at being a friend."

I pulled my hand into my lap. "Didn't matter to me that much, I was too busy fighting off…"

"Fighting off what?"

"Homework." I bit out a laugh. "You know me, work, work and more work."

Chadwick swiped at the air, pushing away the thought of me doing homework. "Whatever the case was, I still sucked at being your best friend."

I took a sharp intake of breath. "You remember that?"

Chadwick gave me his crooked smile. "I never forgot that. I still haven't forgotten how you said that I better call you every day or else, you wouldn't be my friend anymore."

"Too late."

"Yup, too late for that."

"Taylor? Anytime you need to tell me something, or cry on me, or, or. Just vent. You know you can with me right?"

"Yes Chadwick I know I can."

"Why do you still continue to call me Chadwick? Did I piss you off or something?" Chad exploded. His shoulders pulled up harshly and fell with slack of the world.

"No."

"Then why Taylor?"

"Because you aren't Chad."

"W-what?"

"You. Are. Not. Chad."

"Taylor, how can I not be Chad?"

"Because the Chad that I know, wouldn't be caught dead being friends with me. Like right now with my confusing, messed up life. The Chad that I know and grew up with, he'd be a happy guy with an amazing girlfriend in a remote part of the world. He'd still think about me once in a blue moon when something random comes up and it reminds him of me, but otherwise he wouldn't be friends with me anymore."

Chad fell to his knees, slowly and landed on them painfully. Then scooted in front of me, clasped his worn hands around my dirty, filthy ones. Tears prickled in his eyes.

"Why would Chad not be friends with you Taylor?"

"Because he's an angel that is needed to save someone else that needs God's grace. Just like Star, Braiden, Sarah and Shea."

Chad didn't wait to listen to rest of what I had to say. Chad had tightly embraced me in his muscled arms. Cinnamon pounded into my nostrils, and I took a deep pull. Vanilla following close behind, I took another deep pull. Chad's hand found the back of my head and began to shyly push down affection into my roots.

"Taylor…whatever has happened to you in the span of three years stops here. Right now. Whatever plagues your nightmares stops with me. From here on out, nothing, and I do mean NOTHING will touch you again. I will make that my promise to you."

Chad pulled me back to face his frame again, and brought his hands to my chilled cheeks. "Taylor, Chad wants to be your angel again. Will you let him come back and protect you?"

I smiled. Very lightly though. "Taylor says; the decision isn't up to her. It's up to God. He's the one calling all the shots. If she could choose though, she'd say it's up to Chad to decide."

Chad smiled through his tears and looked down, into my eyes. "Chad says, he's here and he's staying forever whether Taylor likes it or not. Nothing is taking him away from Taylor ever, ever again. He promises with the bottom of his heart and hope to not stick a needle in his eye."

I giggled at that. "Chad? Is that really you?"

"It's me Taylor. I'm sorry, so very sorry that I let you to deal with, whatever it is you've been left to deal with."

"It doesn't matter now." I grabbed Chad's hand and enter winded his fingers with my chilled and pale fingers. "Just stay you'll be my friend forever Chad."

"Till we grow old, babe."

I hugged Chad closer to me. Chad has been lead to believe that I have lost my mind, and I have been lead to believe that I have already lost my mind. Chad may have promised to save me from my nightmares, but he won't be able to save me from my own personal demon. If the police can't stop a dad, what is a teenager boy able to do?


	12. Believe in Me

"You know Sarah you didn't have to drive me."

Sarah gave me a dark look. "I know, but if you remember correctly I did say that you wouldn't have to do this alone."

Holding up my hands in surrender, I sat back and gazed out of the windshield. Things were getting bad with Sarah and it was my entire fault. If Sarah asked me how was school, I would turn it into an argument. If she asked me how school was, I turned into a mute. I just couldn't help being…Short with Sarah. I still couldn't fully understand what happened at the park with Chad. Maybe it was my conscious telling me that my dad had broken out of jail. Or maybe it was God telling me that my time was fully up.

"Hopefully today you'll have a better day than the ones you've been having for the last couple of weeks." Sarah mentioned.

Slinking farther down into my seat, I tightly pulled my arms into my chest.

* * *

"So, Taylor, Sarah has mentioned that you've become…Angered recently." Carla dotted down on the paper.

"Not true." I murmured.

Carla finished writing and put the pad down on her lap. Crossing her legs, she placed her hands in her lap and looked at me.

"Well then, let's write the wrong. Tell me what's going on."

At first I didn't say a word and after a while I didn't say anything. Carla continued to stare me down, and my lips didn't utter a single word.

"Alright, is there something exciting happening at school?"

I glared at Carla.

Carla slid her glasses off of her nose and rubbed at her tired eyes.

"I had a dream a while back ago." I whispered.

Carla placed her glasses on the small table that sat beside her, and didn't quite meet my eyes.

"The dream begins out that my father meets me in a park and he proceeds to tell me that he's been watching Sarah and I. Also in the dream he mentions that he has broken into our house and he's gone through my stuff."

"Then what happens?"

"That's it." I stated.

"Alright, how have you been doing in school?" Carla questions.

"You want to ask me about school when I tell you about a dream that I had about my father?"

Carla shrugged and shifted farther into her chair. "If you had more to add to that then…" Carla drifted off.

"Aren't you going to ask me how I feel about it or something?"

"No."

"No?"

"Nope. Unless there is something you're feeling that you want to tell me."

"I'm scared."

"Why are you scared Taylor?" Carla clasped her hands together.

"I'm scared because…I'm scared because if my dad gets out of prison he's going to kill me, or Sarah, or maybe half of the world."

"Why do you feel that way Taylor?"

"Because I feel that God is telling me that my luck has ran out."

"Tell me about Chad, Taylor."

Shaking my head, I stand up out of my chair. I walk over to the only window in the room and overlook the traffic. "I've talked about Chad until I've turned blue in the face. There is nothing left to talk about him."

"How does Chad fit into the dream?"

"Chad was not in the..." I sighed. "Chad told me that whatever was bothering me that I wouldn't have to face it alone anymore."

Nodding her head, Carla didn't make a move to write anything down on her pad of paper. "Have you talked to Sarah about this dream?"

"No. She'll think I'm stupid or paranoid about my dad."

"But maybe she'll understand where you're coming from. Taylor, it doesn't take a scientist to figure out that your worrying Sarah."

"I'd prefer to worry her than to have her killed."

"Taylor, have you ever thought that if your dad did escape prison that the cops would call you and notify you?"

"Of course that thought has crossed my mind, but there are too many people at stake this time."

"Who all is involved Taylor?"

Sighing, I walk away from the window and walk back to my green chair and plop down in it. "All my friends, I guess."

"You mean the ones that keep pressing you to let them back into your life?"

I nodded my head.

"Why won't you tell them about Sarah, Taylor?"

"I don't want my friends to feel weird towards me."

"Define that."

Exhaling again, I make eye contact with Carla. "My friends, I don't think they can handle what I've been through. My friends talk about how their fathers are jumping on them about small things, like to play with their siblings because they won't be that age forever, or to help out a little around the house instead of staying wrapped up in life."

"If my friends only knew that my father would never say those things to me, atleast not in a caring way, if my friends only knew what my father really did; I doubt that they would even be friends with me."

"How do you think Chad feels?"

"Chad? Chad really has no place to do anything really. Half the time he and I don't even speak anymore."

"And why is-" The twinkling of bells interrupts Carla.

Standing up, I glance back at Carla. "What homework do I have this time?"

Smiling, Carla stands up from her own chair and walks to her desk. Shutting off the timer, she gently sets it back down on the desk. "It's never homework Taylor, you know that. More like exercises, or things to take into consideration."

Tapping my foot, my eyes stay on Carla.

"This time, I want you to bring up the situation of abuse or sexual abuses around your friends. See how they react to it. And with Sarah, inform her of your dream. You don't have to tell her, detail for detail of what happened just give her the gist of it."

Glaring at Carla, I hold my hand out for my reminder slip for next week.

"We're meeting in two weeks."

"Two weeks?"

"Yes ma'am, you are past the point of needing counseling every week."

What should have been a celebration only made me slightly irritated. After receiving the slip, I storm out of the office. Not one person dared to stop hurricane Taylor.

* * *

Sarah sat down at the table across from me and began to pick at her dinner. I pushed food around on my plate. I looked up at Sarah; she was looking down at her plate. If she could have the choice to do so, she would be nowhere near me.

After therapy, Sarah tried to find out what happened. The only answer she received was silence. When we finally made it home, I stormed up stairs until she called me for dinner.

"You know, that I'm not mad at you right?"

Sarah looked up from her plate of fried chicken, and coasted her eyes towards me.

"Something good happened in therapy today, just like you hoped for."

"Taylor, you know I didn't really mean that."

"You know that I'm not one bit ashamed of you right? It's the total opposite of that."

Sarah just looked at me. She stabbed at a lone green bean, and pushed it into her mouth.

"I don't bring my friends over because I don't want to scare them off. I haven't told my friends about anything in the last four years of my life."

"Why?" Sarah pushed.

"I don't believe that they will still be my friends." I picked up my fork and shoved green beans into my mouth.

"Have you given them a chance to?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because my friends have the perfect lives, I don't want them to feel sorry or pity me."

Sarah placed her hand on top of mine. "Maybe you should give them the chance to."

"Pity me?"

"No, give you someone else to talk to."

"Isn't that why you pay over 200 dollars for me to see Carla?"

Sarah erupted into giggles and began to eat her dinner with a smile on her face. Smirking at my dinner, I grabbed my crispy chicken leg and brought it to my mouth, my problem was solved.

* * *

The following morning, Sarah drove into the teacher's parking lot. With the top up, she crawled up and down the aisles looking for a parking space. My heart wouldn't stop pounding in my chest. I could feel my hands beginning to shake, and I could feel my body closing up into a little ball. Licking my moist lips, I looked over at Sarah's head. She had on sunglasses on, even though there was cloud cover. She did so much for me and I couldn't even introduce her to my friends. Sighing, the little red car found a spot in the back lot of the loaded parking lot. Just like usual. Unbuckling my seat belt, I quickly hopped out as Sarah pushed open her door. The plan was for Sarah to get out first, then I would wait ten minutes before I got out. How could I have been so secretive of my own mother? Looking down at my wrist, I counted the seconds.

"Taylor? What are you doing?" Sarah questioned.

"Taylor!" A voice called out.

Sarah and I turned our heads toward the voice to see Gabi and the rest of my friends trailing behind her. Sarah's mouth dropped open and she began to quickly grab her stuff out of the car. Raising my arm, I waved avidly. A smile played against my lips. Show time.

"Hey guys." I cried out.

I stepped over to my friends and greeted everyone with a hug. Including Chad. Everyone began to talk at once about stuff that my ears weren't fully listening to; I looked over my shoulder. I saw that Sarah was about to walk off into the distance.

"Sarah wait!" I called out.

Everyone seemed to freeze. Sarah stopped in mid-step, I could tell she wasn't sure what to do. I quickly walked over to Sarah and drew her over to my friends. Holding onto her arm, I gently squeezed and placed her in front of my friends.

"Ms. Stevens, how are you today?" Chad quietly spoke.

"You guys remember how for the last couple of weeks I've been a little…Off?"

No one wanted to nod their head, but every eye found me instead. I could almost hear the thoughts in their mind. There was a teacher here, why would I tell them anything in front of one?

"There are a few things I haven't shared with you guys, and if you'll give me a chance I'll gladly explain."

No one seemed to breathe. Every pair of eyes dove into a whole other direction, including Sarah's.

I gently smiled at everyone. "First off, I'm adopted and this is my mother, Sarah."

_Please believe in me guys._

* * *

Blah. This was very much rushed and probably has a lot wrong with it, but I think there is a new plot twist no one saw coming. Review? They make a lonely college student like me very happy. Thank you so much guys, the foot traffic is amazing.

**I do NOT own High School Musical. I do NOT own anything but this great idea and Sarah and her wonderful car.**


	13. Walk Away

"Taylor!"

I continued to stomp off down the hallway.

"Taylor! Just wait a second! Please!"

Ignoring the voice, I turned to my locker and began to fumble with the combination code. It had been two months since I told my friends about my adoption. They took it exactly how I figured they would. They pitied me. They felt sorry for me. They acted weird around me. After that day of introducing them into my messed up life, they seemed normal about it. We had laughs, and they even seemed to be accepting of Sarah. It was until the next day at lunch when things changed. I walked up behind Gabi and Sharpay in the lunch line. I was going to surprise them, until I heard what they had to say. "She's been dealing with it for a while." "I would have never ever guessed that about Taylor." "I hope she's happier now." Of course when I heard this I slammed my red lunch tray down and stalked off. Since then, I had been evading everyone.

"Taylor, hear me out please."

My locker door flew open and I busied myself with the contents inside. If anyone would have passed by it would have seemed as if I was getting my books for my next class and Chad just happened to be waiting for me. Today was not one of those days.

"Taylor, you can't be mad at me. I didn't even do anything wrong." Chad whined.

I pulled my locker door closed. "I can't be huh? How do I know you weren't talking to Gabi about how sad this was for me to happen to? Or how fucked up I am now?"

Chad was silent. "Taylor, I never thought any of that. Ever. I never saw you as weak, I never pitied you. If anything, I've looked up to you for it. Even before I moved you never once said anything, you were always the cheerful one of group. If anyone had a bad day, you were the first one to throw your arm around them and help them to see the positive in life."

"If anything you kept going strong. You could have easily gave up, cried, murdered someone or even ran away, but no. You stayed with your dad to help make sure that your sister stayed safe. And if anything that's the picture of you that I have in my head."

I looked down at my feet.

"Shar and Gabi really didn't mean it in the context that you took it. They meant it in a proud way." Chad laid his hand on my shoulder, "Trust me, we all interrogated them about why you ran off that day."

Chad touched my cheek. "Taylor." Chad pulled me from behind my locker and leaned up against a neighboring locker, "The group is nothing without you. You do know that right? The girls don't even talk about things anymore. If anything all they do is sigh and pick at their food. Ryan and Jason are getting fatter because they eat off the girl's plates." Chad laughed.

I smiled and let my face grow hard again. "How do I know that Gabi and Shar didn't send you as the messenger?"

Chad smiled at me. "I'm my own person, I'm nobody's messenger."

Smiling at Chad I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly. Chad laughed against my ear and hugged me back. We stood in the hallway hugging. After Chad and I pulled apart, I continued to grab the rest of my books and Chad waited for me. When I slammed my locker shut, Chad and I began to walk off to the last class of the day.

"Aren't you going to stop off and grab your books?"

Chad shook his head. "Nah, I'm sitting next to you in class anyway. We're watching that stupid movie in English anyway."

Gently elbowing Chad in the ribs we walked down the crowded hallway. Upon entering our class, my eyes fell upon brown eyes. My anger spiked up again and I began to walk faster.

Chad raised his hand up to wave at our friends and began to walk into their direction but stopped when I began to walk to class faster. "Taylor? There goes Gabi and everyone aren't we going to stop and say hi to them before class?"

"I forgave YOU Chad; I haven't really forgiven anyone else yet. I'm not ready to really speak to anyone."

Chad lowered his hand and gave everyone a sad face and continued to walk with me into class. We slid into the third row of the classroom and the rest of our classmates filled in.

"Taylor, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

The bell chimed and I looked over at Chad. Mr. Kasper took to the front of the classroom and began to talk. I mouthed to Chad to tell me later and I put all my focus into the front of the room.

"Alright people, we're going to be starting the movie now. Please refrain from pulling out your cellphones, or I'll have to take them. If I take them then we have to talk about it after class, and if I have to stay and talk to you after class I'm stopping you and myself from going home. I don't want to have that happen today. So keep them in your pocket please or bag or purse, wherever it is that you keep that thing." Mr. Kasper turned to the television screen and turned it on. "Now, please just sit here for an hour and fifteen minutes and watch The Secret Life of Bees. Please."

I tried to keep my giggles to myself but most of the class let them escape. Mr. Kasper was the whiny teacher. He was a great teacher; don't get that in your head. He was just a little whiny when it came to discipline. That's why no one got in trouble with Mr. Kasper. Most of us didn't want to be whined at for forty-five minutes so we all behaved.

I kept my eyes trained on the television and watched as Lily began the search for her mother. I loved the part where Zach gave Lily his dog tag and told her that he would always be her friend. A part of my heart ached for Dakota Fanning that played that part. I wondered if her heart ached for Tristan Wilds like every girl's did. I was in the middle of my love fest when I felt something poking at my forearm. I looked down and saw a random piece of folded up paper under my arm. Trying to catch Chad's attention, Chad just ignored me. Picking up the paper, I placed my books in front of me. I quietly opened the note.

_Taylor,_

_Since I couldn't tell you this during class I figured I could write you a note and tell you that way. I know what you've been through hasn't been the easiest. Neither of what we've dealt with has been easy, but I have hope for you in the future. No, I'm not leaving again and no I'm not ditching you for Gabi and everyone else but I do have something that I've been meaning to tell you since the day that we started talking again. I wanted you to know that when you needed me the most I wasn't there for you, but you were always there for me when I needed someone. I left you at the hardest time of your life to not even keep in touch with you. I'm sorry for that. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make that up to you. Until then, I wanted to let you know that I'm not leaving you ever again. You have a heart that needs mending, you have trust that needs to be rebuilt and if anything you need a friend. If you'll let me I'll always be here for you. I'll be the shoulder you cry on when you need one. I'll be the person that drives you to a counseling appointment if you need a ride. You can try and push me away all you want, I won't go away easy this time. I'm fighting for you just like everyone else. If you ever need me, call on me okay? Chad isn't going anywhere ever again._

_-Chad _

I had a bright smile on my face. I could feel the tears prickling at my eyelids and I let them flow. Burying my head into Chad's arm, I grabbed his hand. Chad jumped a bit and patted my shoulder. I thought Chad would wipe away my tears, I thought Chad might hug me. Instead, he squeezed my hand tightly. Chad didn't let go until the bell rang to signal the end of the day.

* * *

_I'm sorry guys. Grab your tissue if you need it. Just kidding, a little Chaylor for you diehard fans of it. Don't we all wish that we had a Chad to stay by our side no matter what? The foot traffic is AWESOME guys; it never fails to amaze me at how many people read this and Big Sister. Keep it up. By the way, reviews never hurt anybody. Review please? It makes me happy and it makes Chad happy too. Happy reading guys! _** I do NOT own High School Musical. I only own the plot line of this story and I only own the heartbreaking note. I do NOT support Child Abuse nor do I support Rape, both are very serious matters that are not to be taken lightly.**


	14. Take Me Away

"So what are we going to do tonight?"

I sighed and closed my locker door. I looked over at Chad and tried not to bash his head into my locker door. For the last few weeks Chad's been trying to get me to do something with him outside of school. Like go out to the movies, go over to his house for diner, or go over to his house for dinner and movie with his sisters. It was beginning to become annoying. At first it was sweet that he was trying to get me out more, but the more he asked the more I declined. I knew Chad's motives. Since I was still giving everyone else the cold shoulder; Chad wanted it to be like before he moved away. Always doing something fun with our friends.

"Chad? You know I love you to death right?"

Chad smile at me and gathered me into his arms.

"But right now though I'm ready to kill you."

Chad pushed me away so fast I almost didn't see it coming. "Why do you want to kill me Taylor? What am I doing wrong?"

"Everything." I joked.

Chad pouted and hung his head. I laid my hand on his shoulder. "Dude, look I know you want to hang out but I'm swamped in homework."

Chad sneered at me. "You always say that."

I held out my planner to him. "See for yourself."

Chad grabbed my planner out of my hand and flipped through it. Moments later his eyes turned into giant basketballs and handed back my planner. Chad held up his hands in surrender.

"I always thought you were messing with me."

"Totally not. Not to mention I know your little game Chad, you're worried about me being alone so much during the weekend."

"Guilty as charged. I just…Don't think it's normal that you stay cooped up at home when you and I could hang out."

I snorted. "And try to have a surprise group meeting so I'm stuck with everyone so we can have a crying fest? Not in the mood for it. This is senior year, not sophomore year."

"That is exactly why you and the group should get back on the good foot. I miss Gabi and Sharpay."

"Then go and hang out with them Chad, I'm not stopping you from doing so."

Chad looked at me. "I told you I'm not ditching you for them. I told you I'm also not giving up on you; you can push me away all you want. I'm fighting back Taylor."

I sighed and began walking down the hall. Chad trailed right on my heels. "You know Taylor, you've been a little upset is everything okay?"

I wanted to scream out at Chad that everything was not fine. I was mad at my friends for no reason, I was so stressed out with my classes that I didn't get to sleep eight hours a night anymore, I was beginning to grow tired of Chad and his eagerness to want to be with me all the time. What I hated even more was that Chad always wanted to know how I was feeling. I kept my feelings to myself because life was easier that way.

"Do you want an honest answer or a lie?"

Chad glared at me and pushed me up against a locker. My eyes looked at Chad's hands as they held my upper arms. Surprisingly Chad wasn't hurting me. If anything I could feel electricity flowing into my bloodstream. I could also feel warmth radiating along my arm, raising goose bumps in its wake. "Look Taylor, if I'm annoying you all you have to do is say so because I'm just trying to be a good friend even though you keep shutting me out."

"Well when you put it that way, you are annoying the hell out of me Chad. You're always there. I can't even have a single thought to myself anymore."

"Then what do you want me to do Taylor? Go away?"

I didn't answer Chad. Chads features twisted into pain and he let me go. "Taylor, don't tell me you really want me to go away. Please."

"Yeah Chad, I really do want you to leave me alone. I can't even think when you're always asking me questions that you already know the answers to."

"Taylor…"

"Go away Chad. Go hang out with Gabriella and the rest of them; I'm better off being alone."

Chad took one more look at me, and then a look of anger crossed his face. "Fine, you be alone. That way you have time to collect your important thoughts. I'm done."

Chad stomped off down the hallway and I watched his retreating figure. I sighed and pulled my backpack closer to my body. Things were better off this way. Chad could be with people that didn't have fucked up lives. I didn't want to tangle my web of close people anymore. I continued to have dreams about my dad killing off the people that I loved. I didn't tell Sarah or Carla about the dreams; these were my burdens to carry. When would the people that I deeply cared about learn that I was the one that had to die to make the world balanced again?

"Taylor!"

I spun around and was met with Sarah's blue sparkly eyes.

"I forgot to tell you that I have a teacher meeting this week in Colorado, so you're going to have a sleepover at a friend's house."

"Why can't I just stay home alone? I'm seventeen for crying out loud."

Sarah shook her head. "I don't want you alone in the house by yourself for two days."

"Why not? You're afraid that I might kill myself or something?"

"No, I just believe that safety is in numbers. Besides, you always stay cooped up in the house. You're a teenager, not a prisoner."

Scoffing I looked in the direction that Chad went. I couldn't stay over at Chad's house now. I sure as hell could not go over to Gabi's. I was stuck. I looked over into Sarah's eyes and saw that she was waiting for an answer. I really couldn't tell her that I was officially friendless.

"Can I have my friends come over to our house instead? You know, not to impose on anyone?"

Sarah thought about it for a moment. "I don't know Taylor, a group of teenagers home alone without adult supervision? That sounds a little risky Taylor."

"I promise that it would only be the girls. No boys allowed."

Sarah looked at me again. "I guess that could be okay. I can call Gabriella's mother and Sharpay's and Kelsi's."

I waved my hands in front of me. "No need, they were going to come over anyway. Their parents said it was okay for them to come over." I pouted. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you before, it just kind of slipped my mind."

Sarah tried to be upset, but she just couldn't. Instead she sighed and gave me a smile. "Thanks for telling me ahead of time Taylor. The house isn't clean and there's no food in the house for you girls."

I gave Sarah a look. "The house is always clean Sarah. And we can order out."

"I suppose you guys could."

I smiled at Sarah. "Don't even worry about such small things, you're going on vacation."

Sarah shook her head. "Work is never a vacation. Vacation involves you and me doing whatever we want, not with a bunch of people breathing down my back telling me to give up my secrets for a happy student."

Sarah and I laughed at that. Then Sarah wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "You promise me that there isn't going to be a giant house party?"

I looked at Sarah. "You do realize who you are talking to right? I only have eight friends. I doubt that is a house party."

"I don't know enough about how teenagers work Taylor, for all I know it could turn out to be like Mean Girls."

"Mean Girls or not, I couldn't have a house party if I wanted to. Everyone knows that your house is a teacher house, no one would come even if they wanted to."

Sarah looked at me and smiled. "Good point."

* * *

Unlocking the front door, I walked inside and threw my keys into the bowl. Closing the door behind me, I bolted the locks. I walked into the kitchen and went in search of food. I'm glad that Sarah was able to trust me. Well trust me that my friends would be over by six. I was going to show Sarah that I could stay home alone, without her worrying about me trying to kill myself or something. Finding an apple in the refrigerator, I bit into it and begin to busy myself with the mountain of homework that was due on Monday.

Chad's P.O.V.

"Dude come on. Get your head in the game. I'm tired of kicking your ass in basketball."

Troy threw the ball at me and I barely caught it. Taylor had been on my mind since I turned the corner and walked away from her. I couldn't help but immediately feeling guilty of doing the one thing that I said that I wouldn't do, walk away from her. I was going to go back and apologize to Taylor but the boys found me Taylor-less and I began to tell them that Taylor and I were not seeing eye-to-eye right now. They all accepted me back with open arms. Gabs and Shar were a little bummed that I gave up on Taylor but all they did was ask me questions about her and comment about how well she looked. The only person that really noticed that I was down about Taylor was small person. Or Kelsi. She continued to watch me with eyes that knew more than what she was leading on with.

I threw the ball into the basket and it made the sound the sound that I loved the most.

"Swish dude."

Troy's mouth dropped open and threw the ball back at me. We carried on with me making points and Troy's temper beginning to flare. Eventually Troy called it quits and slinked over to Gabi. Gabi caressed Troy's forehead. I walked over to my friends and sat down on the grass. How could I feel so alone when I was with my friends? and why did I feel like I was so cold?

Taylor's P.O.V.

I took the steps two at a time and came to the landing then turned right back around and flew back down the steps. I was working on my cardio. Okay, so maybe my brain couldn't handle anymore quadratic functions and I was brain dead. Going down the steps at a slight slower pace, my mind thought about Chad. I couldn't help but think about what he could be up to at this exact moment. Maybe he was over at Gabi's house or Troy's and maybe everyone was lying underneath the stars on a blanket. Or maybe everyone was sprawled out in front of the TV watching movies. I sighed and didn't watch my step. I lost my footing and almost fell down the last two stairs. My hand grasped around the banister and caught myself before I fell. My heart thudded out of my chest and I quickly got off of the stairs. I was in no mood to kill myself over sixteen stairs. I walked back into the kitchen and sat down in front of my homework. I picked up my pencil and tried to figure out more formulas but something soft brushed up against my leg.

"Hey Whiskers."

Whiskers is the stray cat that followed me home one day a year and a half ago from school. When I tried to get him to go away, he stayed close to my heels. When I checked him out further I noticed that he had a limp in his step. Against my better judgment, I wrapped the cat up in my jacket and brought him home. When Sarah got home she took me to the emergency vet and we nursed Whiskers back to health. Since then, he's stayed by my side. He was like my dog but in a cat like body. He was a very weird cat. He wanted to go outside and I was afraid that I'd never see him again, but he always came back. So, Sarah and I installed a doggie door so he could find a way back inside in case he wanted in while we were away or something. Of course, the doggie door was only big enough for Whiskers so no one could try and get in.

I patted the table and Whiskers jumped up on the table. I petted him for a little while and cooed at him. Then I grabbed my pencil and began to tease him with it. Of course Whiskers grew bored of the pencil and looked towards the stairs. He meowed quietly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that toy that we put away. Shall I go and grab it my handsome boy?" I scratched at Whisker's chin.

He meowed again and I got up from the table. I carefully walked up the stairs and went to the hall closet that was on the landing of the stairs. I opened the cabinet to remember that we placed the cat toy on the highest shelf so Whiskers couldn't get it at the time. I ran down the stairs and grabbed a chair that would help me get the height that I needed to reach the toy. Stepping on the chair, I realized I was a little too short and that I would have to stand close to the edge of the chair and reach on my tip toes. Reaching, my fingers brushed up against the handle of the toy when I realized that I had used up all of my strength to reach. Exhaling, I planted my feet on the chair. Then groaning I reached on my tip toes again. Only to reach the toy. As my fingers grasped the toy, the chair tipped back and I began to fall in slow motion backwards.

Chad P.O.V

"Okay, dude seriously you're not being any fun. Your mind is clearly somewhere else. Where are you?" Ryan poked at me.

I poked back at Ryan. "What are you talking about? I'm right here."

Everyone looked at me and shook their heads. "No Chad, you've been spacing out all day, what's going on?"

I stood up from the floor and walked over to the kitchen counter and grabbed another soda. I shook my head and laughed. "You guys are weird. I've been paying attention the whole time."

Kelsi looked up. "Chad we all know that you and Taylor had a fight in the hallway. We didn't want to say anything but we know how much it's bothering you."

I slammed my hand down on the counter. "It's not bothering me, Taylor had it coming and I just couldn't take her shit anymore."

Sharpay blew out a breath. "Yeah, alright, then tell us why every time we bring up Taylor your already changing the subject?"

"Because I am in no mood to talk about her. She didn't care that I annoyed her and she's just trying to push me away."

"Dude you know she's in that place right now. She believes that she needs to push everyone away from her. She doesn't want to bore us down with her baggage right now."

I looked over at Jason and gave him a small smile. "And how do you know this O Wise One?"

Jason shrugged. "Because my dad talks about clients that have been abused, they tend to push everyone because they don't want the people closest to them to bear their weight."

Kelsi looked up at me again. "You know you want to go over to her place and apologize to her."

I shook my head and capped my soda. "I do, but she probably wouldn't answer the door."

Gabi shrugged. "You never know till you try."

Smiling at everyone, I set down my soda and moved towards the door. "I think I'm going to go and apologize to her right now. I'll even convince her to come over and watch movies with us too."

Sharpay held up a thumb. "Good luck with that Tiger."

With that I opened the door and walked outside.

Taylor P.O.V

My arms pen wheeled in the air, looking for something to catch onto as I fell down the stairs. The chair fell back with me and my head banged against the railing. Then I began to tumble down the stairs. Every single step. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, the crown of my head hit the door with a loud bang and I closed my eyes.

Chad's P.O.V

I jogged down the street. I couldn't waste any more time. The more time I wasted, the madder Taylor was going to be. The longer I took, the harder it would be for Taylor to forgive me. Maybe I should stop and pick flowers from someone's garden. It was nighttime after all, no one would notice. When I saw a house that had a rose bush coming up I stopped running and walked over to it. I picked five flowers and picked all the thorns off of the roses so Taylor wouldn't prick herself, then I began to jog down the street. I just hoped that Taylor wouldn't be too mad at me and would forgive me.

Taylor's P.O.V.

I felt something licking at my hand. I opened one eye and saw Whiskers. I smiled at him. And I could see black dots in my vision I reached out to pat him. Whiskers meowed and sat there looking at me.

"I'll be okay boy. I'm just a little sleepy right now. I'm going to go to sleep now; I'll see you in the morning."

I let my eyes close again and I felt the darkness pulling me under.

Chad's P.O.V

Arriving at Taylor's house I noticed that Sarah's car wasn't in the driveway. Shoot, maybe they weren't home? I looked up at the house and saw that the bottom lights were on. Maybe Taylor was at home? Only one way to find out. I walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. I could hear the doorbell echoing inside the house. I pounded on the door.

"Taylor! Open up, I know your home."

No one came to the door. I continued to pound the door.

"Taylor! Stop being stubborn and open the door!" I called out.

For a minute nothing happened. My temper wanted to flare, and then I realized maybe she wasn't in the mood to talk to me. Maybe she was ignoring me. Well two could play that game. I turned and walked down the steps and sat on the concrete step, I would sit outside all night if it took that. I wasn't going anywhere until I talked to Taylor.

Taylor P.O.V.

I felt the waves swimming against my body pulling me under. I could feel my body vibrating with every time a wave crashed into me. I tried to keep my head above the water but it was too hard to. I sucked in a breath and watched as another wave crashed over me. My eyes began to burn so I closed them. Pushing my way to the top of the water, I broke through the surface. I watched as more waves rolled towards me and all I could do was take in air and prepare myself for the next wave to hit me.

Chad P.O.V

My hand was under my chin and I was thinking of what I would say when I talked to Taylor. I couldn't even form a coherent thought or sentence. I didn't even know what to say to Taylor. I heard something and looked down at my feet. A cat.

"Hey kitty. Where did you come from?"

I reached out to pet the cat and he let me. He began to meow. In an instant the cat ran away from me. Weird cat. I put my hand back under my chin to hear meowing. I looked over to my left and saw the cat was sitting near the side of the house. What did the cat want?

I stood up and looked at the cat. "What are you doing?"

The cat took off. Maybe the cat wanted me to follow it. I walked to the side of the house and saw the cat was sitting five feet away from me. The cat meowed again and took off behind the house. The cat definitely wanted me to follow it. I think. Walking to the back of the house, the cat was sitting in front of a door. He waited for me to get closer to him, before he dashed into the doggie door. Great. Now I had no idea what the cat was trying to do but of course the cat knew I couldn't get in again. Everyone knows that the back door would be locked.

I looked up and the cat was sitting in the window meowing at me.

"I can't get in you stupid cat. The door is locked."

The cat continued to meow at me. What did this cat want from me? I couldn't get inside. Then again, I didn't try the door handle. I walked up to the door and placed a hand on the door knob. I turned the handle and the door was unlocked. Maybe the cat was a match making cat? I pushed open the door and walked inside.

"Taylor?" I called out.

The cat was in the door way, leading out of the kitchen. It meowed at me again and took off in further into the house. Did it still want me to follow it? I closed the door behind me and walked farther into the house.

"Taylor?" I called out again.

"I know I'm breaking and entering but some cat let me in I guess." I laughed at my own joke.

I stood in the middle of a living room and saw that there were stairs and maybe Taylor was upstairs with headphones in her ears. Maybe I could go upstairs and talk to her. As I walked towards the stairs, I saw that a cabinet was open. My face turned into a frown. Maybe Taylor forgot to close the door? I looked toward the front door and then looked down at the floor.

"TAYLOR!"

Taylor's P.O.V.

I finally couldn't breathe during the waves. They were coming too close together. So I just took a large breath and let myself get hit by a wave. This time I didn't try to kick myself to the surface. Instead I just let myself sink to the bottom of the dark water. I could feel my chest tighten. I was losing the breath in my lungs.

_I'll never forget your face_

_I don't want to let this thing die_

I closed my eyes to cut down the stinging from the water. The first thing that I saw was light brown eyes that gave me a blank look. Chad. I pushed him away when all he was trying to do was help me. He was trying to be a friend and I let him go.

_I'll never forget your eyes_

_As the tears fall down my face_

_Things are getting worse everyday_

I think I was going to die. And the way how I was going to die was by being mad at my only group of friends that I never told them that I wasn't mad at them anymore. I lied to my adopted mother and worse off, I never even found Star again like I promised myself I would. I didn't even finish my senior year, and I didn't even fall in love. Hell, I didn't even kiss a boy that I liked.

_I can't leave but I can't stay_

_I can't leave but I can't stay_

_Can't stay_

_Somebody Take Me Away_

I let my arms rest out to the sides of me. I was ready for death. If I was dead, my dad couldn't torment the people that I loved. If I was dead, my dad had no use to bother anyone anymore. If I died, I could finally be with my mother and spend the rest of my life getting to know her smile and hear her laugh. Mom, take me home.

_Somebody Take Me Way_

_Somebody Take me Away_

_Somebody Take me Away_

_Somebody Take Me Away_

_Cause I can't take this pain_

Chad's P.O.V

I grabbed Taylor's hand and felt her wrist for a pulse. I couldn't find it. I dug around in my pockets for my cell phone, finding it I dial 911. I grabbed Taylor's hand again.

"_911 what's your emergency?"_

"Yes, hello, my friend isn't breathing and I think she's close to death."

* * *

_Surprise! So this chapter took me a little while to write because I was thinking of having Taylor try and commit suicide. Then I took to the interwebz to find the easiest way to have Taylor hurt herself, then I realized how depressing and how life threatening it is. Needless to say, Taylor hasn't done anything suicide worthy. We couldn't have Sarah mad now could we? We also couldn't have a dead Taylor now could we? What about her dad? What about Star? We can't just forget about them now can we? Of course not. Wasn't Mr. Whiskers a big help? Yes he was; Mr. Whiskers asks for a favor from you all for leading Chad to Taylor. He wants you to leave a review. It's the least you can do since he saved Taylor. If you don't do it for Whiskers you have no heart. By the way, this was kind of a song fic. Kinda. The song is called Take Me Away by Claude. It's a great song and it's what helped me to write this chapter. Thanks guys, have a great weekend._


	15. Part of Your World

_I was laying on the dark seafloor. My hair was lightly framed around me. I was accustomed to the water now; it was almost like I was a mermaid breathing underwater. I was pretty sure that I was dead and that I was in heaven, but the dark part of heaven. You know, for the sinners to redeem themselves. If I was going to get to Heaven I was going to have to work for it, so I sat up and began to swim. I couldn't see anything. It was like I was swimming with my eyes closed but I knew that my eyes were open. I tried closing my eyes and then opening them. Nothing changed. I continued to swim in one direction. I thought that maybe if I just continued to swim I would find the light or some way of telling that I was getting closer to heaven. It continued to stay dark. Although I could feel seaweed kissing my skin and it frightened me a bit. I don't know why I should be afraid, I was already dead so if anything ate me I wouldn't die all over again, nor would I feel pain. I couldn't help but have the fear still inside me._

"_Taylor."_

_I stopped swimming. I looked around for the source of the voice. I just hoped that the person brought a flashlight with them._

"_It's time to come back sweetie."_

_I continued to look around. "Mommy?" I called out._

"_Find my voice Taylor. Come towards my voice."_

_I closed my eyes and tried to listen for the voice but the voice stopped. I think I was officially on my own again. Maybe it was a fluke or maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me. I continued to swim in the direction that I was going in._

Everyone sat there a little stunned and a little sad.

"There may be a chance that she wakes up, but there is a greater chance that she may never wake up again."

Hands went to faces, and tears ran down cheeks. No one blamed anyone, nor did anyone have an answer.

"She's stable and the bleeding has stopped, although coma patients can hear everything that's going on. So I can send one person in at a time to sit with her."

Every pair of eyes turned to someone and other eyes looked over places.

"I think we should draw numbers to see who goes first." Ryan said as he held out his hat with folded papers inside.

Every person drew a number.

"Who has number one?"

"I do."

Everyone turned to Kelsi and Kelsi held out her paper to show. The doctor smiled and held out a hand.

"After you."

_I felt like I had swum for hours. I was getting nowhere. Seaweed still floated against my skin and I still got goose bumps. I was ready to give up. I had even sunk down to the bottom of the seafloor again. I wasn't going to get into heaven; instead I had to be in limbo where I would be swimming forever._

"_Taylor?"_

_My eyes widened. Was that Kelsi?_

"_Taylor, I don't know if you can hear me but I'm sorry that I was such a lousy friend to you. I just figured that if I gave you space you'd get over whatever it was that was bothering you. I also figured that you knew that if you needed someone to talk to I would always be the one that you could always to talk to."_

_I could hear sobbing. Then I felt something wet on my hand. I know what you're thinking. I'm underwater and of course I'm supposed to feel the water on my hand. This wetness though was warm. I think it could have been a tear._

"_I love you Taylor, your one of my best friends ever. Please don't die."_

_The voice stopped all together and my brain became racked. Don't die? Didn't Kelsi know that I was already dead?_

Kelsi walked out of the room with tears falling down her face. Jason held his arms out to her, and she let herself be held. Zeke held up his slip of paper.

"Guess I'm next."

Zeke slowly got up and followed behind the man in blue scrubs.

_What the hell was going on? Why would Kelsi ask me not to die? I was already dead and I was on my way to heaven. I think._

"_Hey baby girl."_

_A smile touched my lips. I knew that voice, Zeke._

"_Uhmm, I know I usually wouldn't call anyone that but Shar that but you make the exception this time. You got to snap back from this sweetheart, you have a lot of people rooting for you out here. Sarah is beyond worried and you have Chad a little worried too."_

_Chad?_

"_I know you probably don't want to hear this from anyone else but Chad but we really need you back sweets. The club isn't the same without you. Life just isn't the same without you."_

_I couldn't help but gather my knees up to my chest. And I also couldn't help but smile. Zeke had never said such kind words to me before. Not that he was mean or anything, but Zeke and I weren't exactly close. I never even knew that Zeke thought of me so positively._

_Like with Kelsi, the talking stopped and I was alone with my thoughts. I wondered where my body was, last thing that I remember was reaching on the top shelf for Whisker's toy. I wonder what happened._

Zeke walked out of the room with a smile on his face. He put his hands in his pockets and looked down at his shoes.

"I know now is a bad time to be happy, but somehow I feel that Taylor isn't dead. I just think she's just sleeping."

Zeke walked over to an empty chair.

Sharpay stood up. "I'm next. Wish me luck guys?"

Everyone looked up at Sharpay.

"You won't need luck. She's still there, she's not dead yet. She'll come back to us. She's strong, she won't give up."

Sharpay sent Chad a smile. "You're so positive Chad."

Chad shrugged. "Someone has to be. She has a storm cloud over her and she needs a silver lining, so someone has to be her lining. I'm taking the job of being her silver lining."

_So I continued swimming right and I realized that I could see gray. I don't know if it was because my brain came up with the color or if I was making any progress._

"_Taylor."_

_I smiled. "Shar?"_

"_Hey boo. You know we haven't been on a good foot lately but I'm sorry for what I said that day in the lunch line to Gabi. I didn't mean it in the way you took it. I meant it as in the way of that you're this strong person and nothing bad could ever happen to you. Then bam, you tell us that you're adopted and that you've fought some demons. Taylor as long as I have known you, you've never ever had a bad day. Then all the sudden something bad has been happening to you."_

"_Taylor, you are a strong person and you give everyone around you the reason to be strong too. You're the only person that I know that can come into a room and just make everyone feel better. You're like this giant ball of sunshine. Taylor, you got to wake up. I don't know how else I'm supposed to get through life without you by my side. We haven't even gone prom shopping yet."_

_I laughed at that a little. I could hear Sharpay tearing up a little; I think one of her tears landed on my hand just like Kelsi's tear did._

"_Shar." I called out quietly._

"_Taylor, we aren't giving up this time. Even if you don't ever forgive me or Gabs, we're always going to be your best friend whether you like it or not."_

"_Thank you Shar."_

_Then it grew quiet again and I assumed the radio waves were gone again. I continued to swim. I swam about forty feet before something shiny caught my eye. I turned to my right and my mouth dropped open. It looked like a tiny star was underwater with me. I swam towards it. When I was within arm's reach of it, it began to pulsate. _

"_Taylor."_

_This voice, I haven't heard before._

"_Taylor my beautiful Taylor."_

_I didn't know who the voice was and I think the star knew that I didn't recognize the voice._

"_Taylor, do you know your way home?"_

_I slowly nodded my head._

"_You're such a good girl Taylor. You've grown up so nicely."_

"_M-mom?"_

_The star began to vibrate a little. Then it began to shine brighter._

"_Your almost home Taylor. Just continue to follow your heart; you have a will to live. Your friends love you, Sarah loves you."_

_I began to tear up. "But mommy, I want to be with you."_

"_Taylor, my dear, it isn't your time yet. Your time isn't for a very long time, neither is Star's."_

_I began to reach out towards the star. I could feel warmth radiating off of the star, I grasped it in my hands._

"_But Mommy, I don't think I'm going the right way. Will you guide me home?"_

"_Taylor, I'm never far. I'm always in your heart. Let your heart guide my dear, I love you very much."_

_I could tell that my mom was leaving me because the star stopped vibrating. I couldn't help but cry. I brought the star up close to my eye. Instantly I could remember what happened to me. I fell down the stairs and hit my head. Whisker's was licking my hand and I closed my eyes. I wasn't dead; I was probably in a coma. That's why I was able to hear people talking to me. Everyone wanted me back, so I had to get home. I was causing worry, and if my friends were crying then Sarah was probably in hysterics. I continued to swim towards the grey, I was going home and nothing could stop me now._

Friends had filled in. Nurses had checked on her repeated times. Her friends had made camp in the waiting room; no one was leaving until something changed. Chad was slumped over, until he was shaken awake.

"Dude, it's your turn." Troy said.

Chad rubbed the sleep from his eyes; he had traded numbers with Gabi so he could go in last. Gabi's face was soaked with tears and Troy held her in his arms. Chad blew out a breath; Chad could only envision doing something like that with Taylor. He knew the farthest he was ever going to get was just hugging Taylor, but that was enough for him. As long as he got to touch her in some way, he could live with it. Chad stood up and every person's eye met his figure. It was up to Chad now. He was their only hope, if Taylor didn't wake up then maybe she was that much farther gone than they had planned. Chad didn't mind. He had been coming to the hospital for four days now; he'd continue to come until they kicked him out. Chad marched to the door; he was her silver lining after all he'd help her clouds go far away from her. At least that's what he told himself.

_I had been swimming for a very long time. I didn't stop when I heard my friend's voices anymore. If anything it powered me to keep swimming. The only voice I hadn't heard was Chad's. Maybe he wouldn't come and talk to me. Maybe he didn't want to. It didn't matter; I didn't want him to see me in whatever state it was that I was in. _

"_Hey Taylor."_

_I almost stopped swimming. Chad came after all. _

"_Do you remember when I told you that you're the glue that keeps the group together? Well I wasn't lying when I said that. Everyone is out in the waiting room waiting for you to wake up. I'm waiting for you to wake up too. I'm sorry that it took me so long to come in and see you, Ryan made up a system where we picked numbers and I picked number five."_

_I continued to swim. _

"_Gabi was supposed to go last, but I traded with her so that I could get to talk to you last. You know the best for last?"_

_Chad laughed and I smiled. _

"_I'm sure you've heard this but the doctors say that you can hear us and to talk to you and hold your hand. I don't know if you can feel it but I'm holding your hand right now. You probably can feel it and you probably think that I'm talking too much right now but I don't know what to talk about with you right now. I didn't exactly prepare anything to say to you right now."_

_For the last few feet the water had begun to clear up. Instead of it being a purple blue, it was now a light blue, like the color you see in a swimming pool. I still haven't tried to break the surface but in front of me I could see that the sea was starting to turn into a beach. I had maybe another few hundred yards before I would be to the beach._

"_You know that I'm not that great of a singer but I do remember that your favorite movie was the Little Mermaid. And your favorite song was always the reprise, never the actual Part of Your World. Don't know why but when you wake up we'll watch it. I've never attempted to sing it, but I guess I could have Gabi come in and sing it for you. Or if you want to hear my off-key singing, I could sing it to you."_

_I don't know what or how I did it but, I looked down at my right hand and closed it into a fist._

_Chad didn't say anything for a moment. "You squeezed my hand, you want me to sing?"_

_I willed my hand to do it again, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't squeeze my hand again._

_Chad laughed. "Alright the lady asked and the lady shall receive. Now I'm sorry if I make things worse instead of better. When you wake up you can tell me how bad I sound."_

_**What would I give to live where you are?**_

_**What would I pay to stay here beside you?**_

_**What would I do to see you**_

_**Smiling at me?**_

_**Where would we walk?**_

_**Where would we run?**_

_**If we could stay all day in the sun?**_

_I smiled at myself as the sun hit my skin. My skin soaked up the rays and took off the chill of my body. I couldn't believe that Chad was singing one of my most favorite songs ever. If anyone heard him, he wouldn't be able to live it down. I let my eyes travel up and down the beach I didn't see anything but I did see a small flight of wooden stairs. I took each stair one at a time and came to a giant field of green grass. I saw a little girl sitting by the trunk of the tree I gently approached her._

_The little girl looked up with a smile on her face. "I've been waiting for you Taylor. Four days mind you!"_

"_I'm sorry I got tired of swimming and took breaks. I didn't know that I was in a coma, I thought I was dead."_

"_Mommy said that it wasn't your time yet." The little girl stood up and brushed the dirt off of her legs. "Who is the boy that's singing?"_

_I smiled. "It's my friend Chad."_

"_Tell him that he has a great voice, even for a Little Mermaid song."_

_**Just you and me**_

_**And I could be**_

_**Part of your world**_

_The little girl grabbed my hand. "You know where we have to go now right?"_

"_Home?"_

"_Of course, because that's where the heart is."_

_Smiling at her, I squeezed her hand and we both walked towards the sea of never ending green grass._

Chad sat back. Nothing happened like he had hoped. He hoped that maybe her eyes would flutter open or she's grab his hand so tightly that he knew she was listening. Instead Taylor just laid there not moving or anything. The heart monitor beeped. She was just there. Chad grabbed her hand again.

"You know, you don't have to rush anything Taylor. Wake up when you're ready to; I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to school, and neither are our friends. We'll have to go back eventually but for now, we're all here with you waiting for you to wake up."

Chad leaned over Taylor and pressed his lips to her forehead. He didn't know what came over him, he hoped that Taylor wouldn't get to mad at him for that but he just had to let her know that he was here for her. Chad stood up and the chair scraped back a little bit.

"I'm going to go back in the waiting room and let Sarah come in and see you now. She's been waiting so patiently to come in and see you again."

Chad quietly walked towards the door when he heard something.

_I don't know when_

_I don't know how_

Chad turned around and saw that Taylor's lips were moving but her eyes weren't open. Chad walked back over to Taylor's hospital bed and sat back down in the chair. He couldn't believe his eyes, she was wake!

_But I know something's starting right now_

_Watch and you'll see_

_Someday I'll be_

Chad grabbed Taylor's hand again and his smile grew across his face. Her voice was a little raspy but he would have preferred raspy over silence anyway.

"Part of Your World." Taylor sang.

Taylor opened her eyes. Life was back to normal again.

"Welcome back Taylor."

"You know Chad; you had a pretty good voice."

Chad brought Taylor's hand to his cheek.

"You know what Taylor? You're banned from getting on any type of obstacle that requires you to leave the ground. From now on, if you need something we're getting you an old lady grabber and if you can't reach it that way, you don't need it."

Taylor laughed and looked into Chad's eyes. "Thanks for saving me Chad."

"Anytime, that's what a friend is for."

* * *

_I'm sorry that I kept you guys all in suspense for like a day and a half. I really do apologize, didn't feel like updating to be honest with you all. What's next in store for Taylor? What happens between Chad and Taylor? Only one way to find out what happens next as our plot thickens. Review people. Thanks, happy Malware Monday!_


	16. You Gotta Learn to Let Me in

"Alright Taylor, you can't hide anymore."

I gulped and slowly turned around. I met Chad's eyes with a bright grin. Chad's face didn't soften at all. Exhaling, I slightly hung my head. Ever since my accident, I had been avoiding just about everyone including Chad. Of course when Sarah asked why was I found alone I told her that I sent Chad out to buy us pizza since; Gabi and Sharpay couldn't make it. Chad, being Chad went along with it. Sarah didn't bother asking why Chad was over at our house and she didn't get mad at me for having a boy over when she told me no boys. She was just glad that he came when he did and called for help.

Chad extended his hand toward the busy hallway and I began walking. It was lunchtime, so the hallways were crowded with people trying to get into the lunchroom. Chad and I dodged bodies and walked toward a door that would lead us outside. Chad and I walked down the stairs of East High and walked over towards a grassy area that held a bench. Chad and I sat down and I didn't dare look at Chad.

"Thanks for going on with the lie with Sarah I mean."

"Don't try and change the subject. Why didn't you tell me that Sarah was going out of town?"

I grabbed my fingers and twisted them. "You and I weren't speaking at that moment remember? And I only found out minutes after we had our argument."

"Disagreement." Chad piped out.

Sighing I looked at Chad. "Look I'm really sorry about being moody about the group and stuff. I didn't really mean it. When I found out that you guys had stayed three days in that waiting room I..Something inside of me just changed. And when you guys were all talking to me about not dying, I knew that I was being stupid and that you guys cared about me."

Chad didn't say anything at first, and then he turned towards me and gently grabbed my chin. "Taylor, we know you're going through a lot and that's why we aren't always on your case about it, but Taylor we all care about you deeply; so very deeply. We aren't asking for you to let us in all the way but the more you push away the harder we are all going to fight back."

I nodded my head and Chad released his fingers. I laid my head on Chad's shoulder and Chad put an arm around me. I sucked in a breath and looked up at Chad's face; his gaze was directed towards his phone while his fingers zoomed on the keyboard.

"My father raped me Chad."

Chad's fingers stopped cold and Chad's head whipped in the direction of where my head rested.

"The first time he raped me I was two weeks before I met you. The last time he raped me was two days before Star was taken away by my grandmother during the summer that you left for Italy."

Chad seemed to be frozen. He didn't say a word.

"So this is where you two lovebirds have been hiding." Sharpay called.

Chad stayed frozen as our friends came over to greet us. I sat up and gave every person a hug and cooed everyone with an apology.

"Chad, you okay over there?" Troy asked.

Chad met my eyes then let a smile fall into place. "Yeah I'm fine; I'm still upset that Ms. Darbus gave out so much homework."

"Oh I know right!" I chimed in.

That started with a whole round of protests and evil plots about Ms. Darbus.

* * *

_I haven't done a disclaimer in a while, I do __**NOT**__ own High school musical in anyway shape or form. All I own is the story idea. _


	17. When it Hurts

The sun beat down on me. The rays were burning into my skin, and my skin was screaming for relief. I almost couldn't take the prickling of my skin, but I knew it would be worth it if I did. My eyes drank in the scenery; the grass was green even though it was burning underneath my feet. The sky was a cloudless blue and endless ocean.

"Hey Taylor, catch."

Turning towards the voice, I was hit with a cold blast of water. I squealed loudly at first, and then my squeals turned into laughter. I tried to catch the water, but it would slip past my fingers and absorb into my skin. Eventually the water ran from me and I was faced with the sun taking away my chill from the water. We left Zeke in charge of the hose, only because he won at rock, paper, scissors. I walked the little ways away from my friends and sat down on the blanket that I had laid out before. With a smile on my face, I watched as my friends continued to get blasted with ice cold water. After watching my friends for a while, I picked up my Chemistry book and began to read the chapter that was assigned for the night.

"Don't tell me you're doing homework at a time like this?"

Looking up, my eyes met dark brown eyes. Chad. Chad's wet curls hung in his face and the water bee lined down his body. His white t-shirt had transformed into a see through window that clung tightly to his body. Chad smiled down at me and flopped down onto the blanket and rested his wet head against my arm. I closed my book and placed it down on the other side of me.

"Attempting to." I teased.

Chad rubbed his wet head on my shoulder. Squealing, I pushed myself away from Chad. I stuck my tongue out at Chad and lay down on my back. Chad copied suit and lay next to me. Chad didn't say a word, neither did I. Eventually, the rest of the group grew tired of getting wet and eventually plopped down next to Chad and I. We all lay quiet.

"Everyone say Cheese!"

No one had time to react. Sarah had snapped a picture, and the girls had gotten up and flocked over to Sarah to see the picture. After Sarah took a few more with us being attentive, Sarah crept back inside and we were left to our devices again. Everyone lay in a circle, with only hair touching.

"Hey guys?" I called out.

"Yeah?" The boys responded.

I laughed. "I meant everyone."

Everyone laughed and then got quiet. "You guys know that you are all my best friends right?"

Everyone's head bobbed up and down.

"Of course you guys know that." I sat up and rested on one arm. "Did I ever tell you guys why I'm adopted now?"

No one said a word, but I could feel every eye on me. I took a deep breath and looked to the sky.

"My dad, he was abusive. He used to hit me before I moved away."

The only sound that could be heard was the wind whipping across the grass.

"When Sarah accused my dad of abusing me, we left. Of course, I left with my dad because I knew he would stop at nothing to get me back. I didn't want Sarah to have that fear. Anyway, my dad and I were walking down the street towards wherever our feet lead us and my dad just suddenly dug his sharp nails into my back."

I could tell that I had everyone's attention now.

"Eventually he released me. Suddenly a bright light was on us, I didn't know that I had stumbled across my friend's boyfriend's house and he had come outside. He noticed me, and one thing led to another and I ended up showing him my back and he saw my dad's bloody hands. Braiden tackled my dad to the ground and my friend Shea took me to her house. Then I woke up in a hospital."

No one made a sound. Turning around, I lifted up the back of my shirt and showed off my devil scars. I could hear the girl's taking in breaths. I felt someone's breath on my neck.

"You guys can touch them if you want."

I felt a feather light touch, and then I felt a strong bolt of electricity course down my back. The intensity only grew stronger.

"They look like cat claw marks." Corbin commented.

Nodding my head, I turned my head. "I call them my devil claws."

"What happened to your sister Taylor?" Kelsi questioned.

"My grandmother has custody of her."

"Legally?" Vanessa asked.

I shook my head. "My grandmother wanted her and my dad just gave her up."

"How long has it been since you've seen her Taylor?"

Corbin's fingers stopped tracing over my scars and the electricity left my nerves. I rolled my shirt back down and faced my friends.

"Almost three years." I whispered.

Chad being the closest to me he pulled me into his side and hugged me. Vanessa followed suit and hugged me too. Before I knew it, everyone was hugging me.

"You know Taylor, we won't tell anyone." Sharpay spoke.

I nodded my head. "I know I trust you guys and I'm sorry it took me so long to trust you guys."

Ryan waved a hand in front of his face. "Don't worry about it; in your case it would be hard to trust anyone, outside of maybe Chad over here."

Chad socked Ryan in the arm, and Ryan punched Chad back. Before everyone's eyes it turned into a male fist fight and the girls and I got up and walked over towards the water hose. I had the hose in my hands and nodded to Kelsi to turn on the water.

"Boys?" Sharpay called out.

The boys stopped and looked over at us as the ice water slapped them all in the face.

Sharpay's P.O.V.

Holy crap I should have gone to be earlier last night. I stayed up texting Zeke till two in the morning and now I'm regretting it. I was standing at my locker trying to put on some foundation and I was very close to just giving up. Zeke doesn't like it when I have a lot of make up on.

"Wow Shar, you look like shit today."

I looked over at Martha and stuck my tongue out at her.

"Bad day today?"

I shook my head. "No, I had an awesome day yesterday. We all hung out at Taylor's the other day and had a giant water fight in her backyard."

Martha smiled and leaned up against my neighbor's locker. Martha and I had an Art class together so she often stopped by my locker and we walked to class together.

"How did it go yesterday then?"

"Oh it was so much fun!" I began to babble off everything that we did.

"And come to find out that Taylor is adopted because her dad is in jail for abusing her."

My hands slapped over my mouth. Martha's eyes grew large.

"Oh crap. Martha you did not just hear my say that."

Martha shook her head. "I swear I didn't."

"Please don't tell anyone. No one is supposed to know about that at all."

Martha, being a good friend of our group stuck out her pinkie.

"I promise I won't tell a soul Sharpay."

Wrapping my pinkie around hers, we promised. I mean who breaks a pinkie promise? Pinkie promises mean business.

Taylor's P.O.V.

Chad had me doubled over in laughter. Since we were waiting for Sarah to come by my locker to let Chad know it was okay to see me home, Chad always tried to get me in laughter. Today was one of those days.

"And then it was like apply cold water to the burned area." Chad cited.

I continued to ride out my fit of giggles and stood up fully. I leaned up against my closed locker catching my breath. Chad had a smile on his face and was quietly laughing. While we both were laughing, Naomi walked by and spotted me. Naomi and I were on okay terms now. She helped me out in P.E. and I helped her out in subjects that she needed help on.

"Hey Taylor," Naomi nodded at Chad. "And Chad."

"Hey Naomi. How are you today?"

"I'm doing alright, on my way to cheer practice just thought I'd give you my condolences."

I raised an eyebrow at Naomi. "My what?"

"Condolences. I mean if I had known I wouldn't have asked so much out of you."

I looked at Chad and he looked back at me.

"Naomi, what are you talking about?"

"Your dad of course. I'm really sorry that he abused, I'm glad that the bastard is in jail now though." Naomi gave me a wide smile.

My face fell; someone spilled the beans about my dad now the whole school knew that I had been abused. I looked at Chad, gathered my things and took off towards Sarah's classroom. My friends had betrayed me once again. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice and shame on me.

* * *

_Ooh did not see that one coming at all. Holy crap, who told Taylor's secret? Whoever spilled the beans should have to eat their older brother's dirty gym socks. Thanks for your patience and understanding guys, summer is coming to a close so soon it will be back to the books and tests. Blah. I hope everyone had a lovely summer and I hope you have an awesome beginning to your school year if you're going back. I'll update Big Sister one more time as well, and then they will be on ice until the semester is over or until I just find the time to write for them. You guys are awesome, keep up the good work._


	18. Why Ask Why

As my feet pounded down the hall, I tried to keep my tears at bay. Only problem was that blinking wasn't doing my eyes any good at all. I bumped into a lot of people on the way to Sarah's classroom, most people didn't care others seemed to tell me that they were sorry for my loss as well. It made me run even faster. Finally my feet found Sarah's classroom. I ran through the threshold, to see Sarah packing up her things.

"Taylor?"

I gave a loud wail, and I turned around to close her classroom door. Once the door was firmly closed, I knew I could let my tears run down my cheeks.

"Taylor? What happened? Are you okay? Are you hurting?"

Sarah was near me in minutes and I couldn't help but throw my arms around her and hold onto her for support. Sarah wrapped her arms around me and rocked me back and forth gently. I continued to cry into Sarah and Sarah continued to let me cry on her.

"zey noe."

Sarah pulled me back a little. "What Taylor?"

Alligator tears rand down my cheeks. "They know."

Sarah pulled me over to an empty desk and gently pushed me into a desk. She sat down in a neighboring desk and closed her hand around my hand.

"Who knows what sweetheart?"

"The whole school knows that my dad abused me and that he's in jail."

Sarah looked taken back. "I didn't know that you wanted to share that information with everyone Taylor."

"I didn't tell everyone. I only told my friends."

As the words left my mouth a loud banging started. Sarah and I jumped and we heard shouting.

"Taylor! I know you're in there, don't shut me out. I didn't tell anyone!"

Sarah smiled. "It sounds like someone wants to talk to you Taylor."

I shook my head. "I don't want to talk to him right now."

The banging continued. "I'm not leaving Taylor till I talk to you, I can stay here all night and you know I will."

Sarah laughed a little. "Somehow I think Chad's serious Taylor."

I wrapped my arms around me. "I don't care if he's serious or not. I'll climb out of the window."

"Taylor! Ms. Hudson! Open the door please; I need to discuss the homework with you." Chad called.

Sarah shook her head. "Taylor, don't be so dramatic. At least hear him out, besides I have to let him in he wants to discuss the homework with me."

Sarah and I both knew that Chad didn't have her class, but because he had said the magic words Sarah had to let him in. Sarah got up, and walked over to the door and opened it. Chad bolted in and ran over towards me.

"Taylor, I swear I didn't tell anyone. I didn't even tell my parents and I usually share everything with them."

I looked away from Chad. "I'm not in a talkative mood right now Chad."

Sarah closed the door and sat on a desk. "You know the door wasn't locked right Chad?"

Chad's cheeks turned a little pink, and then he put back on his determined face. "I'm sorry for banging on the door Ms. Hudson; I just assumed that it would have been."

Sarah smiled at him. "Maybe you can give me your side of the story Chad. Taylor isn't really up for giving me details about what happened."

Chad explained to her that we were in the hallway and Naomi came up to us and told me she was sorry for my loss. I had been confused, and asked Naomi to explain what she meant. Once she did that's when I ran off and Chad had been as confused as I had been. Chad then ran after me. Chad grabbed my hand and rubbed the back of my hand.

"Taylor, you know I didn't tell anyone. I've been with you all day today, and how could I have told anyone if you and the rest of the group are the only people I've talked to today?"

I sniffed and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. Chad did have a point; Chad had literally been by my side all day long. How that happened, I didn't know all I knew is that he was right he didn't tell anyone. At least today he didn't.

"How do I know you didn't tell someone last night Chad?"

Chad just rolled his eyes. "Who would I talk to between going home and coming back from your house last night? Only person I talked to last night was Troy and that was to tell him that I would give him a ride this morning because his car broke down last night."

Chad dug in his pocket and pulled out his phone, he pushed some buttons and turned the screen towards me. The last call Chad had made was to Troy, just like he said he did. Before I could open my mouth to testify that he could have deleted anything; Chad pulled up his trash bin and it showed nothing.

"Like I said Taylor, I didn't tell anyone. When we all promised you yesterday I was actually pretty serious about keeping that promise to you. So please don't shut me out, because you shouldn't have to punish me for someone else's mistake."

I really couldn't say anything to that, but I did know that I wasn't really ready to talk to Chad about anything.

"I'm not going to shut you out; I just need a day or two for this to blow over. I just need a little time to myself to stew things over. Can I do that?" I questioned.

Chad shrugged his shoulders. "Is that what you want?"

I nodded my head. "I only want two days Chad, after two days then I'll be more able to handle things." I patted Chad's shoulder. "And if I haven't spoken to you by the second day I give you my word for you to pull me out of being an anti-social being."

Chad and Sarah laughed at that.

* * *

For the next two days I sat by myself at lunch. Rather, I ate lunch with Sarah. During classes that I had with Chad he would trade seats with someone else so I could have my space. None of my other friends made any moves to talk to me or be near me, I had assumed that Chad had told them what happened. Of course since I had a lot of down time, I did a lot of thinking. I couldn't really guess who might have told. Jason might have told someone on the basketball team because Jason did not have a filter at all. Or maybe it could have been Ryan. He might have told a drama kid, not that Ryan was a gossip type of guy he might have just said something and not have meant to say it.

It could have been one of the girls. Kelsi might have said something to the other pianist about how a song connected to me and the girl might have in turn wrote a song about abused kids and shared it with the whole school. Every time I tried to make an accusation my brain couldn't come up with a very logical plan. Every plan had some type of loop hole because no one of my friends were ever really alone without someone that shared the same interests. If Jason did tell someone, Troy or Zeke or Chad would have probably stopped him. Ryan, Kelsi and Sharpay were the only ones that were into the music scene and drama and they were the only ones that conversed together.

For those two days my brain was beyond fried and there was no way of un-frying it. When I got to school the second day, I was worried when Chad would make his move. I told him two days but I didn't specify a time either. I didn't know if Chad was going to spring it on me during a class or lunch. Although during classes Chad had still given me my space and was still switched with the kid that had been sitting near me for the last two days. So I figured that Chad was going to wait until after school to spring the intervention then. I knew I had to talk to him before then though.

The final bell had rang and I was on my way to find Chad to tell him that I was done being spacey when I couldn't find Chad. Chad was always at his locker right after the last bell because he had gym and they always let the seniors out a little early. I waited by Chad's locker for a few minutes in case he didn't get let out early. When ten minutes had gone by, I figured maybe he was waiting at my locker for me. Walking down the hallway, I could hear a screaming match going on.

"She's the reason why Taylor is giving us all the silent treatment! If she knew how to keep her mouth shut we wouldn't be in this right now."

"She made an honest mistake, Chad. She couldn't help it that it slipped out and Taylor should know better than that, we wouldn't tell anyone intentionally."

I made my feet run faster towards the scene. It sounded like Chad and someone was getting into a heated debate. If I would have ran faster I might have stopped what happened next. As I broke through my friends, Chad landed a punch on Zeke. Zeke in turn returned with another punch and they fell to the ground. I tried to get closer to the fight when Troy wrapped his arms around my middle and carried me away from the fight. I struggled hard.

"Taylor, stop fighting it. I don't want you to get hurt."

"But Chad and Zeke are being stupid and someone needs to stop them before they get in trouble."

Troy continued to carry me away from the scene. "They've both been on edge for the last six hours they need to release the anger somehow and what better way than to beat up a friend?"

I knew Troy was trying to make the situation not as tense but it wasn't working. Eventually I stopped struggling and Troy didn't hold me so tightly. Eventually Troy put me down and I didn't immediately run back.

"Taylor? Gabi and I are innocent this time."

"I know. I know all of you are innocent this time. Maybe someone overheard us at my house and just told everyone."

Troy didn't say a word and I looked up at his face.

"Troy? Do you know something?"

"That's enough boys! We don't condone fighting in the hallways!" A teacher called out. "Chad to the nurse and Zeke you have a date with the principal's office. Now." The teacher called.

Chad had blood running down his face and Zeke had similar blood as well. Zeke brushed past the crowd that had formed and walked towards Troy and I. Troy, grabbed me and pulled me close to him. As Zeke walked past us, Troy shielded me away from Zeke. Why was Troy acting so weird? After Zeke had passed with an escort, I got from behind Troy and darted down the hallway in the direction of Chad. By the time I made it the nurse, I couldn't see Chad until the nurse deemed him bandaged up. So I ended up sitting on a hard chair in the hallway for five minutes.

The nurse poked her head out of the doorway and saw me. "You can come in now Taylor."

I jumped up from the chair and walked into the room. Chad had an ice pack over his cheek and a hand holding a bandage over his head.

"Chad? Are you okay?"

Chad looked up and saw me. His face broke into a smile. "You spoke to me."

I walked closer to Chad. "Course I did. Today does mark two days. I was looking for you and I guess you got a little held up."

Chad shrugged. "Not really, I was just handling something that's all."

"Handling a friend? What the hell for?"

Chad gasped. I never cussed in front of anyone.

"Why were you beating up Zeke Chad?"

"Zeke was defending someone for the wrong reason."

I shook my head and pulled up the nurse's stool. "That's a bad reason to beat someone up Chad. Usually you're supposed to give the person a medal for doing that."

"Not if they were someone that hurt someone else."

I gave Chad a confused look. "Can we stop talking in code? I'm confused."

"Me too."

I laid a hand on Chad's knee. "Why were you fighting Chad?"

Chad took a breath and didn't look at me for a moment. Chad then closed his eyes.

"Taylor, I know who told your secret it was Sharpay. Sharpay told Martha and we can only assume who told people after that."

* * *

_Yeah okay, so I'm going to be updating Big Sister later on today it's just that I was itching for someone to get into a fight and Big Sister didn't have a reason for it so, Ta-Da! Just a quick reminder, __**I do NOT own High School Musical in any way, shape or form. All I own is Sarah and the random nurse. **_


	19. Just Wanna Be With You

Star P.O.V

_Three years ago_

Smacking the head of my alarm clock, I snuggled farther down into my warm blankets. Closing my eyes, I could feel myself drifting back to sleep.

"Star! You better be up young lady. You will not embarrass me today. "

Groaning, I smacked myself in the face. Opening a lazy eye, sunlight streamed in through the curtains that were open. My lavender walls that hung bare, stared at me. With the smell of whipped pancakes raced to my nose. Sitting up, I took in my small room. With my giant four poster bed that took up most of the room, sat in the middle of the room. My desk was pushed up against a neighboring wall, and my full length mirror ran opposite of my desk. My dresser sat in front of my bed, and my bathroom door was a few feet away from my dresser. Molly, my maid bounced in through the doorframe with my breakfast tray.

"You have a big day today Miss Star. Are you not excited?" She squealed.

Smiling I popped a blueberry in my mouth and chewed it. "Molly, please not this morning. It's too early to be cheerful."

"But Miss, today is your first day of seventh grade."

Giving my best friend a smile I quietly ate my blueberries. Molly talked about her first day of being a seventh grader and how great middle school was while she gathered my uniform. Of course grandmother would make me go to a private school where the only thing good about anything were her connections and how big it was to give back to the less fortunate.

"Miss Star's older sister would be most proud of her today. And would be most proud of how well Star does in her studies."

I stopped in mid-chew when Molly said that. Every time Molly brought up Taylor, all I could do was think about was how my sister was. Was she still with dad? Was she pregnant? Was she even still alive? All I could think about was the night that I was sent off to live with grandma. How Taylor didn't hesitate to say that I needed to live with grandma. How not to worry about her anymore, and that I wouldn't come out corrupted like she would be.

"Miss Star? Did I say something wrong?" Molly questioned.

Shaking my head, I continued to eat my breakfast and plastered a smile on my face. "Tell me about how you were on the cheerleading squad and how every boy fell for you."

Molly's face lit up and she began to speak. Today was going to be a long day.

"So Taylor, your place today or mine?"

I turned my head to look at the group of girls that I had made me their friend today. I couldn't remember any of their names.

"Your place sounds good. Just let me call my grandma and let her know since we're supposed to meet up for dinner tonight." I began to pull out my phone when one the girls stopped me.

"Sweetheart, your grandma is what set up this "playdate" for you. Didn't she tell you?"

Trying to pretend like I was shocked, didn't seem to work.

"Of course she told me. Why wouldn't she?"

The girls began to walk off to their awaiting limo while I quietly followed. Why didn't grandma even pretend like she wanted to see me? Once I climbed in behind the group of girls and the limo took off, I vowed to myself that I would never allow myself to feel sorry for that old hag. Nor would I feel sorry if she was using me for her pointless life. If she was giving up benefits, I was going to reap them.

"Hey girls, anyone up to drinking a bottle of my mom's fine wine?"

"I am." I spoke out.

"Why McKessie, I didn't think you'd be the first to accept."

While the head girl poured me a glass the other girls asked for some too. The head girl smiled at me. "You may be a queen after all McKessie. After I get done grooming you to be one."

Smiling at the girl, I grabbed the glass of wine and sipped it like a lady.

_One year later  
_

"Hey McKessie, what are we doing after school?"

Flipping my hair over my shoulder and closing my locker door. The group of girls that I had been friends with for two years now flocked around me. Janet, the second running head under me slightly gazed at me, waiting for an answer.

"Janet, you know I need my food first." I said while putting my books in my locker.

"How you stay thin is only a secret I wish I knew. You're so lucky Star."

The chorus of girls cooed with her. Snapping my fingers, the cooing stopped. Locking my eyes on a redhead named Jenny I barked out orders.

"Jenny, make a reservation at the Hamburguecas for four."

Jenny whipped out her cell and her fingers flew over the keyboard. Smiling at everyone, I closed my locker.

"Anyone else feel like getting on a horse that isn't theirs?"

No one answered.

"I didn't think so. Janet, my precious, don't worry does Star ever let you down?"

Janet didn't meet my eyes. "No."

"Good then don't worry that pretty little empty head of yours. Let's go, I'm going to be late for my Chem test."

With that, I began to walk down the hall and the girls scampered after me.

"So, who's going to pay?" asked Destiny.

"It's going on my grandma's tab. Order whatever you want." I called out, skimming my menu.

While the girls were in a quiet conversation my fingers were flying over my screen.

"Star, there's a hottie checking you out."

"Janet, what did I tell you? I don't have time for boys."

Janet smiled, "This one I think you'll have time for. He's a DILF."

Scoffing I gently raised my head and froze. Across the way of the restaurant sat my dad at a bar, sipping something. When he noticed that I was looking at him, a smile broke out against his face. He lifted his glass towards me and took a drink.

_It can't be. He's. . .Don't lose it now McKessie, act fine and cool. You can do this._

"You can have him if you want him Janet. He's probably filled up like a botox bank and probably uses a gift card."

The girls' stifled gasps and threw back their sodas. Setting down my menu and collecting my bags, I threw a fifty dollar bill on the table. "I'm going out the back way, if no one comes with me you're going to have to walk home."

The girls gathered up their stuff and began to follow behind me.

_Good going McKessie, so much for being cool._

After dropping the girls off at home, and having my driver constantly checking for my dad I made it home safely. Having my driver, Sean, close the door behind me I walked up to our penthouse building. Nodding my head at Ricky, the doorman, I walked towards the desk.

"Good afternoon Star, you're in early. How was school?" Dina asked me.

Shrugging my shoulders, I grabbed a mint. "It was okay."

"How was the Chem test? Did our studying pay off?"

Holding back a squeal, I let my face fall. "We got an A!" I squealed.

Dina ran around the counter and hugged me tightly. "I knew you could do it!"

"You mean We, Dina."

"No honey, it was all you. All I did was help you go through your flashcards and quiz you all weekend on them. I'll have your grandma give you your surprise, since you already have one upstairs."

"Grandma got me something?"

Dina walked back behind the counter. "You'll have to go upstairs and find out."

Spinning on my heel, I walked towards the elevators and rocked up towards my surprise.

When I came off of the private elevator, Molly met me. She took my backpack and coat for me and followed behind me. Molly informed me that dinner was moved from seven to six tonight to accommodate the guest that was showing up from my grandma's firm. Naturally I'd be on babysitting duty. However, my grandma was in the sun room and was waiting for me.

"Grandma is waiting for me? She's never home until dinner."

Molly shrugged. "I don't know Miss; all I know is that I'm supposed to send you to see her when you got home."

Shrugging myself, I went back down the stairs and walked through the kitchen grabbing an apple. Biting into it, I could hear talking going on.

"You wanted to see me grandma?" I called out.

The voices stopped and my grandma glared at me. Gulping down the apple chunk I cleared my throat.

"I mean, ma'am?"

With my grandmother's hard eyes on me she gestured to someone. "You know how I always say how important family is to us, do I not?"

"Yes ma'am, you always do."

"Well it's time you got a gift."

_She found Taylor?_

My face filled with a giant smile, until a figure joined my grandma. My smile fell.

"Look at my pumpkin! All grown up. Bossing around others that are lower than you on the social ladder, daddy's proud."

Blinking back tears, I stood still as ice. "Where-where is Taylor?"

"That bitch is dead and rotting in hell where she should be. Molly! Get me a scotch, I am parched. Star, honey, come and sit on your daddy's lap and tell me about the last four years that I've missed out on."

_Taylor, you promised you'd come back to me. Now what do I do?_

* * *

_**Okay guys I'm back for a short time. I'm hoping to get some updating done before I go back to school. Big Sister has been updated as well. I'm sure you guys like Taylor and Star's dad yes? Maybe he's changed his ways. Only one way to find out, gotta review guys. Happy New Year.**_


	20. I'm Missing You

"Starr! Where the hell is my beer?!"

Throwing open the fridge; I stuck my hand inside the cold box. Crap. He was out of beer. I looked over at my grandma who was cropping up onion.

"Don't look at me. You know where the hidden stash of tequila is."

"But he asked for-"

"Do you want another bruise to sit on your cheek?"

Shaking my head, I quickly dashed for the cupboard that held all condiments and searched behind the tall bottle of vegetable oil. Grabbing the bottle, I grabbed a clear, diamond cut glass and poured the alcohol in the glass. Looking in the fridge again, I grabbed a small white container and walked over to the tequila. My grandma, holding out one of her rubber gloves gave me one and I opened the container. Dropping the item in the alcohol, my grandma handed me a spoon to stir the alcohol.

"Starr! Hurry the hell up. I'm dying of thirst out here."

Turning to put the spoon in the sink, my grandma stops me.

"I'll take care of it. Go give him his alcohol before he starts breaking stuff."

Nodding my head, I carry the glass out. Walking into the living room, my dad had his feet up and watching some football game. Handing my dad the glass, I crept back.

"Finally. Geez."

My dad began to sip down the liquor. When he didn't throw it behind him and began cheering for the team on the tv, I knew I was going to be okay for a moment. Walking back into the kitchen, my grandma pointed to the table.

"Finish your homework."

"But Grandma-"

"No buts. Just because things aren't the same as they were two years ago, your still going to graduate. "

Nodding my head, I plopped down at the table and began to do my homework.

-B-Y-N-O-W-

"Good Night Star."

"Night Grandma."

Pulling the covers over my head I took quiet breaths. I had to count to fifty-four before I could do anything more. All I could hope is that my tears wouldn't start until number fifty-seven. Since my dad came back, grandma lost all of her money. How it happened, I don't really know. All I know is when she bailed my dad out of jail two years ago she suddenly decided to have a heart and make sure that I had my "family" close by. I didn't want my dad, I wanted my sister Taylor. I couldn't have her now, she was dead. To be honest I never asked why my dad was in jail, I didn't have to ask I already knew it was because he killed Taylor. How he killed her is what always changed in my head and what caused my tears to begin flowing. Every night before I went to sleep, I wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully until I tried to piece together how she died. Every night my tears would dry on my cheeks and my breath would become shallow and I could fall asleep.

"Star? Why are you crying?" My grandmother asked.

Sucking in a breath, I wiped my face clean and cleared my throat. Was I crying too loud?

"No reason Grandma."

"There has to be a reason because I've known you long enough to know that you aren't the crying type."

When I didn't answer, my grandma threw back her covers and patted her bed.

"Come over here. Let me tell you a story."

Sighing, I climbed out of bed and walked over to my grandma's warm bed. Grandma covered me and scooted back some to look at my face.

"Have I ever told you the story about Taylor and you as young children?"

Shaking my head, I grasped my fingers close to my chest.

"It's a very cute story. Normally you know I'm not a mushy person but I think you need to hear this story. When you were about four and Taylor was about eight years old your dad dropped you both off before he went to work one morning. I can remember Taylor holding your hand and dragging you behind her because you were still half asleep."

My grandma laughed. "Anyway, as the day went on you never asked, talked or grabbed anything without watching Taylor first. If she was hungry, you were hungry, if she was talking, you were talking too. It was just a great time that I was able to share with my granddaughters, until Taylor messed that up for me."

"Now you have my attention." I said.

"You and Taylor were over for the summer and your dad was away on business or something and I was watching you two. Your dad came home early and was drunk as a skunk when he came by. I told Robert to go home, sleep it off and come and get you guys the next day. Your dad wouldn't allow it. He was rambling on about how Taylor had to tend to her womanly duties at home."

"My first thought was he meant by her cleaning up the house or cooking dinner, but that's not what he meant. Your dad had other plans apparently. When I questioned him about what he meant, he only gave me his impish grin and I knew he meant sexual things for your sister. Try as hard as I did, Taylor only did the opposite. I had both of you in my room away from your dad when Taylor got out from around me."

Grandma shook her head, "I will never forget what she said. 'Grandma, you can't separate us from our dad you know he would fight till he got what was his. Mom is an example. I know dad wouldn't hurt Star or me ever.'

"I can remember me shaking a finger in your sister's face. 'Taylor, your dad is not the same man he was growing up, something evil is sitting inside him. You can't leave with your dad.' Your sister, being as pig headed as she was, grabbed your hand and told me, 'Our dad loves us and wouldn't do a thing to hurt us.'"

Shaking like a leaf, all I could do is listen quietly to my grandmother's story.

"I told your sister that if she set foot outside of the room she would never be able to come back. Your sister didn't once look back. So I guess it's a good thing she died at the hands of your dad because that pig headedness of hers it what got her killed."

Sitting up I couldn't help but look at my grandma like she had five heads instead of one. "Grandma, you don't know what Taylor gave up for me. You don't know what Taylor went through to make sure that I was safe from dad and his nasty and beating ways. Taylor was the one that if I broke something, she took the beating. If dad didn't have something, Taylor took the beating. Taylor gave up her last penny to buy me a lock on my door so dad couldn't get in. Grandma, Taylor didn't ask to be raped, beat on or talked down to she knew that dad wouldn't rest until he got what he wanted. The night you took me away, I found Taylor bloody and bruised and her clothes ripped off of her body."

"Grandma, Taylor was unconscious for HOURS grandma, HOURS. Taylor was the one that hid me when dad had a heated rage that lasted for days she took very beating, word and glare that went her way. Not once did she lose her tough face. Grandma, I know your hurt because when you tried to save me and Taylor all those years ago and Taylor pretty much spat in your face, you weren't able to forgive her. Sure, I'm questioning her motives but Taylor has her reasons. She probably did it to save YOU from dying a horrible death. Now all you can do now is talk bad about your dead granddaughter."

Climbing out of bed, I walked over to my bed turned away from my grandmother and fumed at the wall. How could she say something like that about Taylor? She didn't see that Taylor gave up so much for me to be safe and all I did was live the good life instead of trying to find Taylor. Maybe if I ran away I could have saved Taylor from dying. Maybe now, Taylor and I could be away from my dad and living together like I had dreamed. That night, like the many others I cried myself to sleep and made sure I was loud enough.

-Y-O-U-S-H-O-U-L-D-K-N-O-W-

**Taylor P.O.V**

"I really can't blame her you know? Shar does have a big mouth. Besides, why shouldn't the whole school know?"

Chad did a double take, but only to cry out in pain. Grabbing the bag of ice that sat on the desk next to me, I handed it to him.

"I mean, think about it, if the whole school knows that my dad beat me then if it were to come out it would be old news."

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Chad questioned.

Nodding my head, I put my hands in my lap. "Yeah. I'm just tired of being mad at everyone for dropping a pin. I'm turning into this soft person. Star would hate how I am now."

I was over at Chad's house, upstairs in his room. Since the fight he had with Zeke two days ago resulted in both of them being suspended from school until next Tuesday. I was only Wednesday. Chad's room wasn't your typical dude kind of room. He had a king sized bed, a desk, a dresser and a TV stand that probably held video games in the hidden compartments. That was it. Not half naked chick posters, no stacks of magazines and no stinky laundry that I could see. Chad's room was clean and smelt like him, vanilla and manly cinnamon.

"Have you talked to your grandma at all?"

"No, I haven't talked to her in almost three weeks now. She hasn't returned any of my calls."

"Why can't Star know about you calling to check up on her?" Chad pressed his bag of ice closer to his eyebrow.

"Because that was our agreement, I can call to check up on Star, but Star can't find out that I check up on her."

Chad sighed and snuggled deeper under his covers. "I never did tell you thank you for bring me my homework. Not that I'm in a big hurry to get back to school."

Scooting back in Chad's computer chair, I stood up and began to gather my things. "That's what friends do right? Besides, you and Zeke need to talk about what happened."

"I'm not talking to Zeke Baylor ever again." Chad spat.

"Never say never Chad Danforth." Zeke called out.

Zeke walked from out of the shadow of the hallway and into Chad's room. Chad looked at me then back and at Zeke.

"I know you're going to be mad at me Chad, but if I can forgive Sharpay you can forgive one of your best friends. Zeke was only protecting Shar. Zeke and I have talked, apologized to each other so now it's your turn to do the same." I said.

When neither of the guys said anything, I threw my hands up in the air. "Don't tell me you both forgot how to talk. Look, I know I've been a moody Gus and it's tearing everyone apart that's why we have to pull together now and be strong before senior year is over. If we're falling apart before senior stuff happens then what's going to happen when we all go off to different colleges?"

I couldn't help but begin to tear up. "You guys and Sarah are all I have left of a family. I can't have Star because my bat shit crazy Grandma won't let me even talk to Star on the phone. It's not hard to wonder what lies my grandma is telling Star right now. If I can't even repair my group of friends, how can I fix my sister and I? I can't. So all I can do is love everyone from afar so I can stop getting hurt. Please, just please do your guy kiss and make up. I'm tired of being mad at everyone and I'm tired of everyone being mad at someone else."

"I'm sorry man. She's right; I'm tired of being mad and tired of being tired." Zeke said.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have punched you." Chad replied.

Wiping at my face and sniffling, I watched the guys hug each other and quietly talk with one another. Before I realized what was happening, I was being placed on Chad's bed and Zeke squishing any chances of me escaping. The before I knew it, I had two pairs of strong arms wrapped around me. Then being pulled into someone's chest. Knowing by the shock of electricity that ran through me, I was wrapped up in Chad's arms, and Zeke's arms squishing me and Chad closer together.

"Best friends, together again." Zeke boomed.

Burrowing my head in Chad's chest I muffled my words. Then without trying to hold my tears back, I let them run free and soak Chad's dry shirt.

_I'm so sorry Star. _

_**Okay guys, looks like Star thinks Taylor is dead and Taylor can't talk to Star. Just when we thought Grandma had a heart. Guess that's gone out of the window. My e-mail yesterday was blown up with this story being followed and favorited. It makes me really happy that you guys care about this story so much and about Big Sister. I'll try not to let anyone down. Thanks for reading guys. And happy 20**__**th**__** chapter guys. **_


	21. Catch A Falling Star

"I can't study anymore. My brain hurts."

Looking up at Jason, all of our faces were echoing his sullen face. Ryan closed his textbook and Sharpay put down her pencil. Zeke rubbed his face and I hit my forehead on the spine of my book.

"Woah, Stop. No damaging the brain Taylor." Chad said.

Glaring at him, I closed my eyes. "Why are we studying again? I mean come on its senior year, we aren't supposed to be stressing like this." Sharpay cried out.

"Uh because we still have to pass our finals for this semester to keep our GPA up for college?" Troy questioned.

"Bolton, go be smart somewhere else." Sharpay flipped her hair over her shoulder and pulled out her phone, clearly checking her Facebook.

Pushing my chair back, I stood up and walked away from the table. Walking into the kitchen, I grabbed a plastic cup and filled it up with tap water. Sipping it gently, I looked out the kitchen window and looked at the green grass. Even though it was in the dead of winter it was at least 65 degrees outside. Hiding a yawn, I leaned up against the sink and let myself get lost in my thoughts.

"You doin' okay sweetheart?"

Not turning to face the voice, I nod my head. "Yeah I'm fine Chad. I'm just really sleepy today."

"Didn't sleep well last night?" Chad grabbed a plastic cup and filled it up with water as well.

"Something like that. Nightmare, after nightmare."

Chad nodded his head and looked out the window with me. "Makes you sick doesn't it? While other places in the US get snow, we have Florida weather."

Snorting, I drained the rest of my water and rinsed my cup off. Resting my elbows against the counter, I let my head droop in my hands. If I could just take a nap, I'd feel so much better. I closed my eyes.

"What about Taylor having nightmares?" Troy asked.

Chad looked over at me, and without opening my eyes I nod my head. "Taylor didn't sleep well last night, she had nightmares."

"About my mother screaming for my help and why didn't I help her. And Star being choked to death by my dad and her coming back from the dead trying to kill me as well. Then my dad chasing me off of a cliff and I continuously falling to my death. No matter how many times I woke up in the middle of the dream it would continue right from where I left off from."

"Geez, that's pretty scary Taylor."

Nodding my head the rest of my friends gathered in the kitchen. Between Troy and Chad my friends were caught up to speed.

"So you stayed up all night?" Gabby pried.

"I climbed in bed with Sarah around six am and I was able to sleep for about an hour and a half then I got up to meet you guys at seven forty-five am and here I am now." I produced a small smile.

"I know what if after finals we have a group sleepover? That way we can all celebrate for doing well on our tests?" Kelsi suggested.

The girls chimed in that they were on board, the guys did too. Only persons that hadn't said anything were Chad, Jason, Ryan and I.

"I'm down."

"Me too."

Gabby looked at me. "Only Chad and Taylor are the only two weenies left. What do you guys say?"

"I'd have to talk to Sarah first. You know since. . "I trailed off.

"Taylor has a good excuse, what's yours Danforth? You not going if Taylor doesn't?" Gabby mocked.

"I was in, till you called me a weenie. Who calls people weenies anymore?"

The group laughed. "Yeah, if Taylor goes Chad will because lover boy won't go anywhere without Taylor being there." Zeke said.

Something inside me made me want to laugh, but I bit the inside of my cheek. Chad does not follow me everywhere. Sure, he does do a lot of checking up on me but that's because he's one of my best friends. I mean Gabby and Shar don't check on me as much as Chad does, but he did go along with my lie from when I hurt myself a few months ago. Besides, it's not like Chad liked me like that. He's been in Italy for two years, the girls he's seen the girls he's dated. No way Chad could want someone as broken as I am.

I could hear clothing being rustled around and when I looked up, the group had smiles on their faces and Chad had a caught look on his face. Looking at Chad's face made me lose my seriousness and I burst into laughs. Chad turned pink and then began to laugh with the rest of us.

"Alright, alright I'm in. Although you guys are going to have to talk to Sarah, she might say no so don't feel bad if she does."

"If Sarah is up to it, we can have it at your house. Doesn't matter where we sleep at, Taylor just has to come." Kelsi piped in.

The group murmured in agreement. "So it's settled then, we have a group sleepover after finals?"

"What if someone does really badly on their finals?" Jason twisted his fingers.

"We have the sleepover regardless if we all bomb our finals with flying colors." I said.

"Yeah. What Taylor said."

"So everyone's in?" Sharpay asked.

"Yes!" Everyone cried out.

"Great. So let's talk party plans."

"Wait, Chad didn't say if he was in or not." I noted.

Everyone turned to Chad. "Chad? What's your stand on the sleepover?" Troy questioned.

"Taylor did say she was coming so no need to play the fence you know." Ryan joked.

"I'm only in if Taylor lets me bring her a gift."

The room got silent. "But you know how I feel about you guys giving me gifts." I whined.

"Only way how I'm going."

Groaning I light smacked Chad. "You would put all that pressure on me." Huffing, I crossed my arms. "Fine. It better be less than twenty dollars. Anything over and I will summon up all the anger I have and be mad at you forever."

Chad wrapped his arms around me. "You can't stay mad at me. I'm too cute. I mean look at me. You cannot stay mad at this face." Chad gave me his puppy dog face and blinked his eyes really slow. With his long eyelashes kissing his bottom lashes, and his full lips puckered out.

_God, why do you torture me like this? He knows what he's doing to me. With his full lips and his arms wrapped tightly around me and his scent kissing the air. Why?_

"I think I can."

I tried to push Chad away from me, but his arms held me in place and with my hands pressed up against Chad's hard body I couldn't move him.

"God, what is Mrs. Danforth feeding you? You're getting fat."

Chad squealed and released me. "I'm getting fat?" Chad spun around pinching parts of his body. "Someone tell me where."

The gang burst out in hysterics and Chad continued to chase himself around for five minutes before he saw my smile and knew I was kidding. Before I could escape, I was back in Chad's arms but only this time he threw me over his shoulder.

"Put me down!" I cried out.

"Nope." Chad said popping his P and walked out of the kitchen.

"I'm fat; you're going to drop me. Did I mention that I'm afraid of heights? You're a giant and we're high in the sky." I pleaded with Chad.

"You should have thought about heights before you called me fat."

"I was only kidding. You're too handsome to be fat." I replied truthfully.

_Did I just seriously call Chad handsome? Crap._

"La La La La I'm not listening." Chad continued to walk me to the dining room of Troy's house and gently set me down in my chair. "Break is over beautiful; you've had your fun now you have to put those brain cells back to good use." Chad handed me my pencil and opened his similar book. "We were on page 131 right?" Chad turned the pages in his book.

I couldn't help but blink. What the hell just happened?

"Hey guys, we're gonna go next door to Shar's house and get the pizza. Do you guys want anything back?" Jason called out.

"No!" Chad and I both cried out.

"Alright, be back in a flash." And with that the voice and the front door closed.

Chad and I worked quietly for a few minutes, until I turned to Chad. "You know I was just kidding right?"

"Yeah I know. I'm sorry."

I tilted my head to the side. "For what? You didn't do anything wrong."

"I picked you up and put you over my shoulder. I forgot about your dad and. . . ." Chad trailed off.

Shaking my head, I put my hand over Chad's free hand. "My dad never picked me up like that. My dad usually was . . . very rough. You were only messing with me. I knew that you were only kidding and that you wouldn't ever drop me."

Chad smiled. "Your right, I wouldn't. I treasure my face and body too much to drop you."

Laughing out loud, I lightly smacked Chad on his arm. "Your full of jokes aren't you? But seriously, you didn't trigger any memories or anything if that's what you're trying to get at. I don't think I've ever had a relapse since I've been with Sarah. Nightmares are only about my dad hurting me or killing me, never anything sexual. I think I've blocked those memories and I've already come to terms with it."

Chad nodded his head. "I understand. I won't do anything to hurt you, but you already know that. And you know that I'm always here for you if you need someone to talk to."

Smiling at Chad, I grabbed his hand. "Thanks Chad. I think I want to tell everyone at the sleepover about my dad raping me too. You know, so it's not a giant shock or anything."

Chad's lips puckered out. "Awe man, then that means you and I will have no secrets anymore between us."

Laughing at Chad I shook my head at him. "Besides Sarah and Carla you'll probably be the first person I tell my secrets to. I'm harboring another secret if you want to hear it."

Chad dug frankly in his pockets. "What are you doing?" I questioned.

Chad produced his wallet and opened it up. He handed me a shiny penny. "A Penny for your thoughts beautiful?"

"You are a goofball to the extreme." Grabbing the penny, I pressed it to my lips and handed Chad back his penny.

"Uh you're supposed to tell me the thought you know."

"I did. I told your penny, and you have the penny now."

Chad looked at me. "And I'm the goofball. Riiiight." Chad put the penny back in his wallet and crossed his arms.

Leaning over Chad, my lips gently touched his ear. Trying not to jump from the shock of electricity, I gently whispered in his ear.

"Shar and Gabby seriously think you should ask someone to prom. I know prom is like months away, but they're going to pester you until you ask someone. Just giving you a heads up."

Moving away from Chad, I bit my bottom lip to help the electricity die down and I buried my nose back in the book.

"Really?"

"Yes. You can't say that I told you or else I have seriously broken the best friend code. And if I go down, you're coming with me."

Chad stuck out his pinkie. "I, Chad Michael Danforth, pinkie promise Taylor Anne McKessie, that I won't say a word to the girls."

"Chad, we haven't pinkie promised since fifth grade."

"Exactly, that way you know I mean business. Pinkie promise me."

Smiling really hard, I stuck out my pinkie and Chad wrapped his around mine. Heat ran through my skin and settled down in my heart. Chad and I shook twice then let go. After smiling stupidly at each other, we went back to studying. Chad and I had probably been studying for at least a half an hour when I placed my head on his shoulder.

"So when 2x is moved over to the 36 and 3y is left alone on the other side of the equal sign then we'll have our answer to that point." I recited.

Chad nodded his head and wrote down what I said. Just as I was about to right myself, Chad shook his head and gently pushed my head back to his shoulder.

"Rest. I can tell you the rest of the work and you just tell me if it's right or not. Sound fair?"

"Sure." I said sleepily.

I closed my eyes with a smile on my face and Chad told me problems while I gave him the steps. Had Chad and I been paying attention, we would have heard our friends creep back in the house with a homemade pizza. Gabby, was the one that wandered into the dining room and found Chad and I in the position we were in. Luckily for Gabby the room had shadows and she crept to a nearby shadow and was able to see Chad writing and my eyes closed and my lips not moving. Gabby dug out her phone and snapped a picture of us. Moments later Chad said the next question and I gave him the steps. Gabby quietly snuck out of the room and showed everyone else.

The rest of the afternoon resulted in everyone stuffing their face with Sharpay's family homemade pizza and studying till our eyes became heavy and sore. Sarah came and picked me up, and my group of friends asked her about the sleepover. Lucky for us, she was in a forgiving mood and said yes.

-four weeks later-

"I can't believe we did it!"

Everyone cheered and sat down on the blankets. "See Jase, we told you that you wouldn't fail with flying colors. You got a B in Math, and an A in English."

"All with your help Taylor."

"Well. . ." I said.

Everyone laughed. I quickly looked at the clock and pretended to be busy grabbing a handful of popcorn. The guys got up for something and that left the girls behind. Gabby sat closer to me, and Shar flanked my other side.

"Chad's on his way Taylor, he had to have dinner with his grandma remember?"

Nodding my head, I grabbed a pillow. "Do you guys remember when I called Chad handsome that one day? Did I really say it out loud?"

"Yeah, you did."

Smacking myself in the forehead I groaned. I can't believe that I actually said it out loud. "If you're worrying about Chad feeling weird that you called him that, he's not losing sleep over it."

"Has he said anything about it?"

The girls shook their head. "But he does seem happier since that day. Don't tell me you kissed him and we missed it."

"Of course not! You know I couldn't bring myself to ever do that. Hell, Chad isn't even interested me like that. I'm one of his best friends. You do not kiss your best friend and live to tell the tale. It's friendship suicide."

"Not really. Troy and I kissed and we were friends before we got together."

"You two don't count. You're the golden couple, you two are meant to be with each other. Chad and I? It's really only a fantasy that won't come true."

Sharpay wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "Babe, he'd be stupid not to feel the same way you do. I know you don't believe us, but you don't see how Chad looks at you. Chad's face lights up when you walk into a room let alone when you talk to him. And when you laugh that drives him CRAZY. And when you talk to him, he has the same face that Troy does when Gabby said yes to being his girlfriend."

Shaking my head, I bite my fingernail. "Doesn't matter. I shouldn't be focusing on a school crush I should be focusing on Star and getting the hell away from my past." Looking at the girls, I caught their eyes. "But not too far from my future."

We heard footsteps coming down the stairs but the girls didn't make a move. The guys' eyebrows rose and they gathered around.

"Welcome back." I said

"What did we miss?" Ryan questioned.

"Nothing. I was waiting for you guys to come back. I have more bad news to tell you guys."

No one said a word. "I already told Chad this a while ago and I haven't had the courage to tell you guys yet. But I have it now. Along with my dad beating me he also raped me several times."

"Chad thought he triggered a reaction the day that we studied at Troy's but he didn't. Like I told Chad, my dad was quite rough with me. Usually it happened when he was drunk and it happened a few times when he was sober but fear not Carla believes that I've come to terms with it and my brain has blocked it."

"Taylor. . ."

"Nu huh, no apologies and no pity looks. Just be normal around me. I'm still the same Taylor, just damaged goods."

The girls looked at me and knew what I meant by Chad wouldn't ever want me. The guys grabbed my hands and gently squeezed.

"Geez, did I miss another heartfelt moment? I hate when that happens."

Everyone turned and looked at the stairs. There stood Chad in his red checkered PJs and white shirt, with a pillow under his arm. After everyone welcomed him and the girls gave him welcome hugs, I gave Chad a shy smile and gave him a heart filled hug. Chad whispered something in my ear.

"I have your gift but I think I should give it to you when everyone goes to bed. Stay up with me?"

Nodding my head Chad let me go and I let him go. For a while everyone was on a buzz of doing well on their finals. We watched movie after movie and no one grew tired I kept my eye closely on the clock. Ten, eleven, twelve and finally one am passed and no one seemed to slow down.

"Why are we all still up? We've only been out of school less than twelve hours and we're barely into break. Shouldn't we have passed out by now?" Kelsi asked.

I nodded my head. "It's like I'm tired but I'm not tired. I don't think that made very much sense."

"It did. I just don't want to go to sleep because I'm having too much fun." Troy said while stretching out.

"I know I feel like such a badass because I'm up past eleven." Kelsi commented.

The group murmured, "Gosh Kelsi." Yawing, I stretched out and couldn't help but cuddle my pillow. I didn't care what my friends said, my pillow was upset that it wasn't sleeping time. if I fell asleep, Chad couldn't give me his gift but sleep was taking over.

"Don't care what you guys say, I'm sleepy and I'm going to bed. You guys can be bad asses all night long; I haven't recovered from my staying up all night studying. I need to get my sleep binge on."

"Normally I wouldn't agree with Taylor, but I'm agreeing. You weenies wore me out. I'm going to bed too." Gabby fussed.

The rest of the group murmured and someone turned off the lights. Clapping my hands, a small light turned on. "That's not going to bother anyone is it? It gets pretty dark down here and trying to find the bathroom would be chaos." No one had a problem with it, and covers were being ruffled and pillows were being punched. I snuggled down against my pillow and let sleep overtake me. If Chad woke me up, he was in a world of hurt.

"Taylor. Pst, Taylor. Wake up."

Moaning, I scooted farther down into my warm covers. Shut up stupid voice. Trying to go back to sleep, I felt the feather soft brush of fingertips grazing my cheek. I could feel a cold chill run across my cheek, then a zip of warm electricity. Sitting straight up, I bonked my head against something and the thing hissed. What was that? Opening my eyes, my eyes were staring right into brown eyes and I knew I had hit Chad with my head. Rubbing my head, and biting my lower lip, I mouthed sorry to him. Chad shook his head and gestured for me to follow him.

Untangling myself, I followed behind Chad up the stairs. I was glad that our basement stairs didn't creak when weight was put on them.

"Will you show me to your room?" Chad asked.

"Uhm. . "

"We won't be but a minute. I promise." Chad had a glittery small bag with him, but hid it behind his back when I focused on it.

Leading the way up the stairs, Chad followed close behind me. Because it was dark in the hallway, I grabbed Chad's hand. Feeling the electricity zip between our hands, I tugged Chad behind me. I quietly opened my door and let Chad slip in first following behind him I quietly closed the door. Bumping into Chad, I moved around him and bent down; swiping my hand in front of a wall, my string of white lights came on.

"Wow."

My room was a mixture of purple and blue walls with twinkling earrings in the wall. When the sunlight came in through the window, my room would twinkle like stars. Rainbows would be present till the last of the sunlight was in the room. Of course like any high school student my walls were plastered with pictures. I didn't have that many, but the ones I did I treasured deeply.

Around the room, I had white Christmas lights strung around the room. I had plugged the lights into a sensor so all I had to do was move near the wall and it would light up my room. My bed sat near a window, but left enough room so I could get out of bed from either the left or right side. I had painted my bed frame to match the blue color of the wall that it rested up against, and I had blue scarves twisted around the frame. Each of the scarves had clear crystals that hung from the material. Those could catch sunlight, but they paled in comparison to the earrings.

My dresser was an off color of amethyst and sat against a purple wall. I had painted my dresser drawers the same color and they were decked with cheap purple jewels. Some of the dresser drawers had black bows glued on them and others just had the jewels on them.

My desk sat opposite of my dresser on a blue wall and was painted blue. I had to mix and match because there wasn't a blue desk chair that matched the color of my walls, so I had to settle for purple.

"Feel free to look around."

"And you wouldn't let us see this?"

"Correction, everyone has seen my room but you."

Chad stuck his tongue out and moved around my room. He admired just about every picture and looked at the ones on my nightstand. When he saw a picture of me, Star and my dad when Star was born Chad looked at me. He wanted to say something but he didn't. Instead he smiled when he saw the picture of him and I at Sharpay's birthday party hula hooping. When he saw, the frame that said Best Friends Chad's smile grew even bigger.

"You have pictures of everyone in here."

"Only the ones that matter." Chad continued to look through the pictures but stopped short. "I know you're going to ask, where's the picture of my mom? Well I'm currently having a frame made and the picture is with the craftsman so he can measure it correctly. All of the pictures that are framed have been handmade, Sarah's gift to me."

"Who would have thought that having a teacher for a parent has its ups?"

Nodding my head, I sat on my bed. Chad took a few more minutes to look around my room then sat next to me.

"Gosh, now I don't want to give you the gift. It's not going to match the walls well."

Shaking my head I looked at Chad. "Is it a poster of you or something?" I joked.

"Actually no." Chad bent over and grabbed the glittery bag. "Open it."

Looking at Chad, I grabbed the bag and moved the tissue paper out of the bag. When I had moved all of the tissue paper, what lay in the bottom of the bag made me gasp.

"Chad, it's beautiful."

"I made it myself."

Pulling out a dream catcher, it glittered like the bag it came in. The dream catcher was white and it had a few crystals woven in. The feathers were white, and the beads were clear.

"I made it so that way you can have better dreams. Every single string has good dreams and it should chase away any more bad dreams that you have."

"Thank you Chad." I threw my arms around Chad's neck and hugged him tightly. Chad hugged me back just as tightly.

I let Chad go and he let me go. Jumping up on my bed, I stretched on my tippy toes and hooked the loop of the dream catcher on a hook. Standing back on my feet, I quietly stepped off of my bed with Chad's help.

"Let's go back downstairs."

Before Chad made a move to the door and before I could stop myself I lifted myself up on my tippy toes and my lips met Chad's cheek. Chad stopped and lightly touched his cheek.

"What was that for?"

"One, for making me a dream catcher. Two, because I hit you with my head earlier."

"Oh well. Thank you."

_See, I knew Gabby and Shar were setting me up to fail. Now I've made a fool of myself in front of my best friend._

"I'm sorry if that was awkward. We can pretend that it never happened. I won't say anything or mention this to anyone-"

While I was in mid-sentence, Chad had brought himself a little closer and before I knew it, he had planted a kiss on my forehead.

"Not awkward at all. That kiss made my cheek feel better, thanks beautiful." Chad murmured against my skin.

I was glad that my lights had gone out because Chad would have seen that my cheeks had begun to turn red. Opening the door, with Chad's hand in tow we walked back downstairs. Before Chad went to his pillow, Chad grabbed me whispered goodnight to me and kissed my forehead again. Instead of a fast kiss like he had given me minutes before, this kiss was a lot longer. When he let me go, he helped me step over our friends' bodies and waited until I was under my covers. Chad walked to his pillow and climbed under his covers. I closed my eyes and went to sleep with a smile on my face.

That night I dreamed of my younger days with Chad, and the days when everything was fine with my dad. And I dreamed that Star and I were together again.

_Okay, Okay I'm sorry guys. I don't know if you guys like long updates or prefer short ones; when you leave your review please let me know. Big Sister will be updated soon, I promise. Everyone likes a little Chaylor fluff yes? Who doesn't? I hope you enjoy this, happy reading._


	22. Heaven is A Step Away

_There is a little bit of child abuse so please read with caution. _

Star P.O.V

Climbing the train steps, I fell a few steps behind my grandma. Pushing my head down to my chest, my hair covered my face. The plan was to not have my face seen because I had been missing for just about forty-eight hours now. When I hadn't gone to school for about a month, the cops showed up at my door. My grandma had said that she had been feeling ill and I had stayed home to help her out. Luckily my grandma had a pretty nasty gash on her leg that wasn't infected but it was close. The cops backed off when she promised that I would be in school the next day. Which I was, the following day I wasn't. When I came home from school my dad was nowhere to be found and my grandma wasn't answering me. When I walked into the bedroom that I shared with my grandma, I found her still with blood staining the floor and her bed.

"GRANDMA!" I ran to her side and began looking for a pulse.

My grandma popped open one eye. "Girl, get away from me. You're messing up the scene."

"The what?"

"Your father has come up with a great idea. Since the federal prison found out that he was bailed out, they want to put him back in prison. So, your dad is in hiding right now. You're going to call the police and report my dead body. When they want to take me away you turn on the water works and make them keep my body here. Then when night falls we're going to join your father."

"Join him where?"

"Where he's hiding. Look, do you want to go to school?"

"Actually I do. And I really want nothing to do with whatever you and my dad are planning to do." Standing up I began to walk towards the door.

"Do you want to go into foster care?"

That was the only thing that could stop me. I can remember when Taylor would tell me that foster care was a horrible place. Even if something bad happened to her, I had to promise her to never get mixed into the system.

Sighing, I turned around. "No. I don't."

"Then I suggest you go down stairs and call 911."

Having no choice, I walked down stairs and called 911. The cops were at our place within forty-five minutes. Fifteen minutes and an ambulance showed up wanting to take my grandmother. How I managed to pull off being a shocked and grieving child, I will never know all I know is that within ten minutes everyone had cleared out and I was left with my "dead" grandmother.

"Keep up Amy."

Amy was my middle name and because I was plastered all over the news and had several amber alerts looking for me, it was an understatement that I had to undergo a make-over. My long hair was stringy and burnt off from a perm. I had bald spots showing, and needless to say that I was sporting a few bruises from not keeping up with the plan.

_It's too bad that Taylor will never see my face. Let alone she won't be able to save me. _

Bumping into my grandma's back, I cowered down and expected a blow. A blow didn't come.

"We should be able to board on the train here." My dad said.

Biting my tongue so hard, I drew blood. I wanted to scream out how stupid he had been, of course we would be discovered when the train conductor made his rounds, but I was tired of all the bruises I had from talking back.

My dad climbed into the train car first then helped my grandma in. I was last to get on. Had I been thinking I should have ran off while my dad and grandma weren't looking. How far would I have gotten? Not very far I'm sure.

"Star, you go to that end of the car and keep a look-out." My dad directed.

"No." I blurted out.

Without seeing it coming, I was knocked back. Grasping my stomach I took deep breaths, my dad had punched me in my stomach and it had winded me.

"Look you little bitch, don't get mighty now. You remember how bloody your sister was? If you don't shut your face up and follow orders I might just do the same thing that I did to her."

"And what was that? Choke her to death?"

My dad gave a belly laugh. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

_I would actually._

"You aren't ready to hear about it yet. You haven't reached the bottom yet. Maybe when you get there I might tell you."

I crawled over to my part of the car and curled up. I spent majority of the time trying to catch my breath. The train car gave a lurch and began to move. We were on our way, to wherever it was.

"So where are we going exactly?" my grandma questioned.

"Back to Cherry Grove."

"Why back to the God awful place?"

My dad leaned against the frame of the car. "I have some unfinished business there that I need to take care of."

"Did it have to do with that slut-"

My grandma went silent. My dad had popped my grandma in her mouth.

"Now I know where Star gets it from. You women never know when to shut the hell up. When I'm talking to you, I'll TELL you, till then shut the hell up."

My grandma nodded her head very fast that her neck could have snapped off. My grandma walked over towards me and sat next to me. I scooted away from her. Unlike Taylor, I wasn't going to pretend to be civilized with an abuser. From now on they were going to have to drag me to where they wanted me to go, I was no longer going to go quietly. They wanted a fight, they were going to get it.

_Mom, Taylor I'm sorry for letting it go on this long. I should have ended my life a long time ago. Hopefully soon dad will get tired of me and will kill me. I'm ready to come home._

"I can't wait for that bitch to take her last breath. She'll be begging me and I'll watch the life drain out of her. I just hope she liked my little present." My dad smiled and sat down in the middle of the car.

-d-u-n-d-u-n-

Taylor P.O.V

"See you tomorrow Taylor!"

Waving at Troy and my friends, I walked up to my front door. I unlocked the door and went to grab the mail out of the box. Carrying it in the house, I sorted through the mail quickly then there was a small envelope with my name on the front. Grabbing the mail knife, I sliced it open.

_Taylor,_

_Thank you so much for helping me in math class, I really appericate you and the help you give me. Maybe as a thank you, you'll go out with me for ice cream on Friday? I really hope you say yes._

_Chad_

Smiling like an idiot, I pulled out my phone and quickly dialed Chad's number.

"Hello?"

"Ice cream on Friday? This is what you do when you're supposed to be at home resting from getting sick with the flu?"

"I see you got my letter."

"I did."

"So. . .? I won't be contagious anymore by Friday. I promise."

"It's just ice cream right?"

"Maybe."

"Chad." I warned.

Chad laughed. "Alright, alright Ice cream is AFTER dinner at my place with my family. It's a family thing."

"Well Chad if it's a family thing then maybe I shouldn't go."

"That's why you were only supposed to say yes to Ice cream, and then you wouldn't worry like you are now. Taylor, its fine. It's just dinner at my house with my crazy family then as a family we all go out for ice cream."

Sighing into the mouthpiece I didn't say anything.

"The girls miss you. Please?"

"Using your sisters as bait for me to come over, you're evil Chad Danforth."

"Only telling you the truth."

"Fine."

"So it's a yes?" Chad exclaimed.

"Yes."

"Hold on a second."

Chad had moved his mouth piece away from his mouth, but I could still hear him screaming out yes. Chad came back on the phone a few moments later and cleared his throat.

"You didn't hear that did you?"

"I did."

I could hear Chad whisper dang it and I began to laugh. "You are still a goofball you know that?"

"I was aware. So I'll pick you up at 6:30 on Friday?"

"It's a date."

"Great. I'll see you then beautiful."

"See you then goofball."

With that, Chad and I hung up. Clutching my phone to my heart I couldn't help but hear my heart flutter at the news. I couldn't wait for Friday to show up.

_I have no idea why I'm updating again. Anyway, this update is a little shorter than yesterday. Sorry about that, who is Taylor's dad after? And is our Taylor happy in love? And what about little Star? Will Star make it through the night I guess time will only tell. Happy reading guys._


	23. I Promise That I'd Never Hurt You

"Wow."

Smiling at Chad I bid him a small thanks. "Is Sarah in?" He asked.

Stepping out of the way, I let him in. "In the living room waiting for you I think."

Chad nodded his head and began to walk towards the living room. Whenever Chad picked me up for anything, he always made sure to check in with Sarah. Since the ordeal, he and Sarah are something short of a secret service, only for me.

"Good evening."

Sarah put her book down and looked up. "Hi Chad, Taylor let you in?"

"Yes ma'am I am. Just wanted to let you know I'll have Taylor home by nine, if that's okay."

Sarah looked at me from behind Chad. "Make it ten. It is the weekend."

"Thank you again Sarah, my mom sends her thanks. My sisters do too, they miss Taylor."

Sarah smiled at us, told me to have fun and she'd see me later. Chad and I walked out of the front door and down the walk. Chad had parked in the drive-way. Sitting in the driveway was his dad's 1996 baby blue BMW.

"You brought Logan."

"Course, gotta ride in style." Chad beeped the alarm system and opened the passenger door for me.

"Thank you."

"Anytime."

After I was safely deposited inside, Chad climbed in and we took off. Chad lived a little ways away from me, in the nicer part of town. I mean I lived in the middle class part of town and he lived in the nice upper middle class part. Chad and I made small talk then pulled up to his house. Pulling into the driveway, a lot of memories hit me. Before my dad made a turn for the worse, Chad and I spent a lot of time at his house. If we weren't at Chad's we were at Troy's.

"You okay?"

Nodding my head I clicked my seatbelt off. "Yeah, I just had a small taste of the past."

"Yeah I did too a little, ready for dinner?"

My stomach rumbled the answer.

Chad and I exited the car and made our way up the driveway to the front door. Chad unlocked the door and the smell of pasta sauce and meat hit my nose.

"Yummy. Your mom is making her famous Italian food, yes?"

"Possibly, she wouldn't let me in the kitchen."

"I thought I heard you guys."

"Mrs. Danforth!" I cried.

"Taylor!"

I walked up to Chad's mom and hugged her with everything I had. Chad's mom was like my mom in disguise. When I met Chad's mom for the first time she seemed to sense that I didn't have a mom at home and took me under her wing. Chad's mom always reminded me that I would never go hungry in her house and she wouldn't hesitate to take me and Star in if need be.

Chad's mom held me at arm's length. "Look at you, all grown up. I remember you when you were just yay high. What are you now? 18?"

Laughing at her I took in her Italian accent. "Not for another two months."

"Guess it'll be a party. Come sit in the living room; get comfortable dinner is a little way off. Chad go and get your sisters."

Smiling at Chad, he was leaned up against a wall with a smirk on his face. "That would be my cue to go do manly things while the girls talk. Could have just said, 'Chad we're going to talk girl stuff, go away.'"

Chad's mom threw her balled up towel and Chad dodged it. Laughing at both of them, Chad took to the stairs and Chad's mom led me to the living room.

"Sit my dear; we have a lot of catching up to do. Chad won't tell me anything anymore."

Raising my eyebrows a little I sat down. "Well there is a lot of tell. He hasn't told you anything?"

"Look at this face." Chad's mom held a very straight face. "Does this face tell a lie?"

"No. You're a mom, moms can't tell lies."

"I knew there was a reason why I loved you."

Chad's mother and I talked for about ten minutes until Chad's little sisters flew down the stairs.

"Taylor! You're here finally."

All three of his younger sisters clobbered me and gave my face a lot of kisses. "I missed you guys too."

"We've been practicing our English for you. Mommy said if we didn't you wouldn't come."

"Never, I knew what you guys were talking about when you were diapers remember?" Tickling one of Chad's sisters she laughed.

Chad had one set of twin sisters and one sister. When Mrs. Danforth was pregnant, they were expecting twins. When she gave birth, they found another baby. Of course the other baby was significantly smaller than the twins. Doctors told the Danforth family that the smaller baby wouldn't make it past her first birthday. Eight years later Maylee was still very much alive and very smart. Sophia and Olivia matched Maylee step for step. Nothing was cuter than when all three of the girls were together and would match each other for Chad's attention.

"Where's Mia?"

"She's out with Andrew. They ran to the store for some drinks."

Andrew was Chad's awesome dad. Sometimes it would hurt to be around Chad's dad because he treated me like one of his own daughters. Andrew was what every child should have for a dad; he was close with my dad in their elementary school days but both moved away and lost touch with each other.

"Oh." Turning towards Lily, Mrs. Danforth I had my eyes trained on her, "How was Italy? Chad won't say anything about it and you know I've always wanted to see it."

"That boy, I swear." Lily shook her head and began to talk about the last two years in Italy.

Thirty minutes into Mrs. Danforth's story I hear the garage door open. "I saw the beamer in the driveway, where is she?"

"In here." Mrs. Danforth and I called.

Mia walked in and pounced on me as well. Swaying left and right Mia didn't let me go. "I missed you so much. I missed you!"

Laughing I held onto Mia just as tight. "I missed you too Mia Maria."

Mia let me go and sat down next to me. "You were saying Mrs. Danforth?"

"What are we talking about?" Mia asked.

"Your mom was telling me about Italy."

"It was fun, I missed America more."

"Why though?" I pressed.

"Because I didn't get to say goodbye to you and I thought you'd hate me for it."

Shaking my head, I grabbed Mia's hand. "No, no, never." Looking at all the girls, I let my eyes sweep the room. "Chad told me your grandma was ill and needed you guys. Besides, I was only here in Cherry Grove about seven months then my father and I moved away."

Mia swept the room. "Star here too?"

Biting my lower lip I looked away for a second. "Uhm a few things have changed since you guys were here."

Lily, figured something bad was about to be said so she sent the girls upstairs to finish getting ready for dinner. Of course after a few complaints the girls did as they were told and went upstairs, just as Andrew walked in the living room.

"Wow, I didn't know I could clear a room." Andrew saw me and made his way over to me. "Hi Taylor, long time no see."

Standing up, I hugged Andrew. I hated how strong and safe I felt in his arms. Sometimes it reminded me of how safe and strong I felt when I used to hug my dad before he went ape shit crazy.

"Been a while." I said.

"Yes it has, but we're more than glad you're here now."

"Glad to be here." I forced a smile.

"Now where is my son?"

"He's upstairs."

Andrew nodded his head and left the room. I turned back to Mia and Lily and opened my mouth when a shrill sound echoed through the room.

"Sorry, that's the timer for the food. I'm sorry."

Shaking my head I took a deep breath, saved by the bell.

"Can I offer you something to drink dear?"

"Sure can."

"Follow me to the kitchen lair."

Mia and I followed Lily to the kitchen. Within a few minutes Mia and I were helping to prepare dinner.

"See mom? Taylor's soo much better than Violet." Mia said as she chopped up some veggies.

"Violet?" I questioned.

"A potential bride for Chad."

"Yikes." I said.

"Uh huh."

"It was a grandma final wish thingy. Luckily someone saved Chad from it."

Mia took my silence for questioning. "We aren't sure; Chad got some weird phone call and said that he had to come back to the states. He left his precious gem here or something."

"Heart." Lily chimed in.

"That's a weird phone call."

"See mom, grandma's point is false."

"Grandma had a false point?" I asked.

"Yeah, grandma thought that maybe you had made that phone call to get us to come back."

"When did you get this call exactly?"

"Let's see, we've been back about six months, so about eight months ago?"

Sarah and I were doing our cross country drive eight months ago.

"Nope, it wasn't me I wasn't even . . . able to make a phone call about that time."

Lily and Mia gave me questioning looks and I continued doing my chopping. For about the next half hour or so the three of us finished up dinner. Lily called everyone to the dinner table and I helped carry food out. Chad had walked into the dining room and saw me carrying out food.

"I see your helping with dinner."

Smiling I looked at Chad and set the plate down. "You know me, unable to be a guest in someone's home."

After all the food had been placed on the table, I helped the girls sit down.

"Taylor! Sit next to me." Screamed Maylee.

"No! Next to me!"

"No, by me!"

Mia sat down. "Nope she's sitting next to me kids."

"I knew I should have implemented the number system." Chad mumbled.

To diffuse the situation Lily stepped in. "Taylor is going to sit in the middle of Maylee and Sophia. Then we go for ice cream she'll sit in the middle of Olivia and Mia."

Shrugging my shoulder I moved towards my seat. "Problem solved."

Before I made it to my chair, Chad had pulled my seat out. Trying to hide my blush I gave him a quiet thanks and sat down. Chad pushed my chair in and walked to the other side of the table and sat down across from me. If I would have been paying attention to the Danforth family I would have seen know it all smiles from every person.

"Please join hands everyone." Andrew announced.

Everyone joined hands and Andrew began a prayer.

"And Lord we'd like to thank you for allowing Taylor to eat with us tonight. And we'd also like to thank you for helping Chad get the guts to ask her."

There were quiet laughs and Andrew ended the prayer. Food was passed around and family chatter broke out. For most of the meal I sat back and watched a real family eat dinner. I never had this with Star and my dad, and with Sarah it was about as good as I got it.

"So Taylor, what colleges are you looking into?"

"I'm not really sure, somewhere good."

"Chad's looking into somewhere in the east."

I tried not to drop my fork. East was where Shea and Braiden were, I hadn't called Shea in almost a week she was going to be furious at me.

"Taylor?"

"Sorry, I was trying to think of what states have good colleges."

Lily began to rattle off colleges that Chad was going to apply to. Throughout dinner, Chad kept most of the heat off of me. I guess he could tell that something was up. When dinner was over, I got up only to be told to sit down.

"You helped with dinner, you're a guest Mia, the girls and I have dish duty. You rest and go talk with my parents." Chad suggested.

Giving Chad a scared looked, he gave me a warm smile. "No need to fear Taylor, I've already eaten and I'm too full to bite you." Andrew joked.

Laughing I followed Chad's parents out to the backyard. Usually after dinner Chad's family would relax outside. This would be the perfect time to tell his parents about what's been happening with me.

Lily and Andrew cuddled up in a chair and I took the swing. Groaning, Andrew sat down. "So Taylor, tell us how life has been for you."

_Do I lie to them? I don't think I can._

"Well life isn't always lemonade, Mr. Danforth."

"Andrew. You've been with us long enough to get past the last name business."

"Right." Gulping, I rubbed my sweaty hands on my pants.

"Taylor? Is everything okay?" Lily questioned.

"Not exactly."

"What is it sweetheart? Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"Not anymore." I mumbled.

Sighing, I looked down at the ground. "Remember earlier when I was telling you Lily that a lot of things had changed since you and the family left? Well to start off I have been hiding something from you guys for a little while."

"Is your dad alright?" Andrew asked.

"My dad is okay. He's in prison right now actually." I replied.

"Prison!? For what?"

"Well, he has been convicted of child abuse and raping me several times."

Andrew and Lily didn't say anything. I guess I picked a great time to talk about family values.

-Anyone up for some Ice cream?-

When I broke the news to Andrew and Lily I was expecting, I didn't know what to expect actually but it was a little bit of sweet relief when Lily came over and hugged me close to her. I told Andrew and Lily the last two years of my life and Lily not only broke into tears, Andrew cussed a few times in Italian. I was just glad that Chad decided to keep the girls in the house and busy.

"Does Chad know sweetheart?" Lily asked.

I nodded my head. "The rest of the group knows, and most of the school."

"Is that why you were so quiet during dinner?"

"Well no, I was trying to commit to memory what a loving family looks like."

"Are you in foster care dear?"

I shook my head. "No, a teacher at Chad and I's school has adopted me. She's actually from the East; she's what saved me pretty much."

"Oh Taylor, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought up-"

"No no, you didn't know. And it's not like I have bad memories I just have friends that helped me back East and I was thinking about how upset she'd be that I didn't call her this week."

Lily and Andrew laughed. "We would love to meet. . ." Lily trailed off.

"Sarah."

Lily nodded her head. "We would love to meet Sarah one of these days. Give her thanks for taking care of you while we were away. If we would have known maybe we could have saved you."

"No, don't blame yourself. I didn't tell anyone. I couldn't. I'm learning now to tell the important people about it. I wasn't planning on telling you guys this tonight, I was kind of hoping for something not so . . . warm."

"Thank you for trusting us with it."

Chad walked out of the sliding door. "I think we're going to have to scrap family ice cream the girls are passed out on the couch."

"Aww." I cooed.

"Thanks Taylor, you saved us from having hyped up girls."

Laughing, Chad sat next to me. "Anytime, Glad I could be of assistance."

"Son, Taylor told us what happened." Andrew piped.

Chad looked over at me and squeezed my shoulder. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything, I didn't think it was my place to say anything. I've met Sarah on many different occasions, since she is a teacher at school and I knew Taylor wasn't in any immediate danger."

Chad's parents nodded their head. "We're glad she isn't in it anymore."

Chad took the conversation in a different direction and I couldn't thank him enough. Chad's parents and I spent the next hour telling stories about Chad.

"Woah, would you look at the time its 9:30 gotta get Taylor back home."

"Are you sure? Or are you just trying to get out of embarrassing story time?" I joked.

Everyone laughed with me and I stood up. I hugged Chad's parents tightly and they reminded me not to be a stranger. I told them, "The way how Lily cooks? I couldn't be a stranger even if I tried."

We walked back inside and Chad and I left.

"Thanks for tonight Chad."

"Not a problem. I'm just sorry that we couldn't go out and have ice cream like the original plan was."

"I would prefer dinner and catching up with your family, than eating cold ice cream any day."

Chad smiled.

"Thanks for not telling your parents I think."

Chad snorted. "You think?"

"Yeah, I'm not sure if you're in trouble or not."

"I don't think I am. They know how you are, and they know that they raised me not to tell other people's business. Besides, it was better coming from you. They look at you in a different light."

"I will totally understand if they make you not talk to me again."

"Psh that order is out of the window, I've made several promises to you and most of them are pinkie promises; if I break those then the world is over."

"You goofball."

Chad laughed. "Still though, they can't ban me from seeing and talking to you. You're pretty much like family, and family doesn't abandon family when they are needed the most."

I smiled at Chad and looked out the window for the remainder of the ride. When Chad pulled up to my place, he turned off the car. We sat in the car for a few minutes before Chad looked at his watch.

"Gah! We need to get you inside; you have like ten minutes before your curfew is up." Chad got out of the car.

I laughed. "Chad, relax."

"I can't. I want to be able to take you other places and I can't do that if Sarah doesn't trust me." Chad opened my door and helped me out.

"Oh really?" I joked.

Chad and I walked up to the front door. I dug out my keys and placed them in the lock. Just as I turned the lock, thunder crackled and rain began to fall.

"Well geez, what luck you have."

"Yeah I know."

"You gonna be okay to drive in that?" I asked.

"Yeah I'll be fine."

Just as I was able to say something Chad put his finger over my lips. "And yes I'll be careful. I'll drive five miles an hour."

Jumping back, I rubbed my lips. "Geez Chad, you should seriously stop rubbing your feet on the carpet. Your hair gives you a lot of electricity." I joked.

Chad stuck his tongue at me. Then I moved closer back to him. Before I knew it Chad had pulled me into him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him back.

"Thank you for coming tonight, I hope you had fun. And I hope my parents didn't scare you off."

"I did. I never realized how much I missed your sisters and how much I miss mine."

Chad hugged me closer. Chad and I stayed like that for a few moments then he kissed the top of my head. Then Chad released me.

"You should get inside before you get sick."

"Okay. I'll see you Monday?"

"Unfortunately." Chad replied.

Laughing, I turned back to the door and opened it. I turned around and watched Chad run down the driveway. He climbed in the car and started it. I motioned the universal sign for Chad to call me when he got home and he nodded at me. Chad backed out of the driveway, then honked the horn and drove off.

"Chad just drop you off?"

I nodded my head. "We're not late are we?"

"No. It's only 9:30."

"That goofball!"

Sarah looked at me with a puzzled look on her face. "Don't worry about it." I replied.

"Do you want to tell me how dinner went with the Danforths?"

"Sure if you make me some of your famous hot chocolate, it's cold now."

Monday morning rolled around and I got out of Sarah's care. Sarah waited till my friends had shown up before she left. Once they did, Sarah went her way and I turned to my friends with a smile. My friends did not return my smile.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

No one answered.

"Guys? What's wrong?"

Gabby stepped forward. "Taylor there was an accident last night."

"Are your parents okay?" I turned and asked everyone the same question and fell last to Chad. Chad grabbed my hands.

"Our parents are okay, and so is everyone else's." Chad didn't meet my eyes right way. "Taylor, Naomi was murdered last night. And they don't think it was an accident either."

_You guys are getting so spoiled with updates three days in a row. No one saw that coming did you? Yeah I didn't either till I wrote it. I wonder who killed Naomi, the girl didn't have to die but I guess so. Stay tuned._


	24. Fallout

Hiding my face in my locker was the only way how I could get some alone time. Since Naomi had been killed about a week ago, everyone seemed to point the finger at me because of our middle school dwellings. Only thing that saved me was that Sarah and I hadn't left the house at all on Sunday. Sunday was Sarah and Taylor movie day and we watched Lifetime tear jerkers all day long.

"Don't you have grading to do?"

Sarah grabbed a tissue. "I do but your helping me grade it tomorrow during lunch."

"Awe ma! Why? Isn't that what your TA is for?"

Sarah's face hardened. "TA's that are seniors should not even be offered in high school. Just because they're grade isn't on the line they don't care. You care Taylor, you care."

Sighing, I grabbed a handful of popcorn and shoved it in my face.

When I look back on that Sunday, all I could think about is Naomi's final hours on Earth. Was she tortured? Was it quick? Painful? While I was at home stuffing my face with popcorn and faking anger towards grading papers, Naomi was fighting for her life. Sure, Naomi and I had shared differences in middle school but Naomi and I were nothing but close people now. I couldn't believe that people would think I killed her.

"You doin' okay?"

Pulling my head out of my locker, I grabbed a book. "I should be asking other people that question, Chad."

"I know people are looking at you funny, but it's only because of your past with Naomi."

"Apparently I look and breathe like a killer." I sighed and closed my locker. "You have officially used up all of your 'Are you doing okay?' questions."

Chad broke into a smile. "I wasn't aware I had a counter on how many times I could use that sentence."

"I promise Chad, if I do crack I'll let you know. Right now, I'm still pretty sane." Chad and I began to walk down the hallway. "I mean I guess I would point a finger at me too, I am the daughter of a child abuser and rapist. I would be the first to lash out."

"That's not funny Taylor."

Shrugging my shoulders, I moved my books to the crook of my arm. "Just pointing out the facts Chad."

"Well still, regardless of what your dad did, does NOT mean or make you anything like him."

"True. I just wonder how Naomi's mom is taking this. Sarah and I took her cookies two days after we found out and she was just as sweet, even though I'm sure people were saying something about me killing Naomi."

"People don't have a lead to go on. That's why they're pointing the finger at you."

"Holy shit! Look!" A student cried out.

Students piled around a boy's bathroom. Chad and I looked at each other before making our way through the crowd. Being pulled out on a stretcher was a freckled boy by the name of Jacob. He was in the junior class and I knew him pretty well.

"Oh God." I whispered. Chad pulled me into his chest. I couldn't stop the tears from beginning to flow. Jacob was the kind of kid that if you were sitting alone at lunch, he'd bring his group of friends to sit with you. Struggled in math? Jacob was there and ready to help. Jacob was an all-around good guy. Chad knew him on a same level that I knew him. All throughout elementary school Jacob was in every one of our classes and even then, he was a helpful person.

"I think now it's safe to say that you didn't do this one."

Since Jacob was found dead in the boy's bathroom, the school panicked and had parents pick their students up. Sarah couldn't leave, so when Chad's parents picked him up I went home with them. Lily and Andrew got to meet Sarah and both parties hit it off well. Since most of the students drove to school, Chad being one of them, parents would have to collect their students' cars at another time. For now, students were being evacuated home.

"Thanks for letting me come over Lily."

"It's not a problem hun. Sarah looked relieved that you were able to go somewhere safe until she was able to get out of the meeting. It's just disturbing to know that someone is striking at your school. It's too close for comfort."

"Tell me about it, doesn't help that people believe that I killed Naomi last week."

"You heard that rumor too?" Andrew chimed.

Chad looked down at his lap. "Taylor's been getting whispers and stares for the last week."

"Someone has to point the finger somewhere I guess."

For the remainder of the ride, no one said anything more. When I got to Chad's house the gang's parents' cars were all parked out front waiting for us.

Chad and I got out of the car. Gabby's mom spoke first. "I have to get back to work but I don't want Gabby home alone."

The other parents responded equally. "Besides, we're sure the kids would like to stay together since this is their time together." Zeke's dad added.

Lily, being the warm mother she was, opened her arms. "I hope you kids are hungry because you know how I feel about a full house."

My friends bid their goodbyes to their parents and followed behind Lily and Andrew inside. For the next couple of hours we alternated between doing homework and watching crappy daytime TV, When your home during school, one doesn't know how to act when you have time to kill.

We stayed at Chad's house until every parent showed up. They decided that they needed to have a talk with us.

"Okay, so two killings in less than a week? Time to take cars away."

I could tell that Sharpay and Chad wanted to protest but were holding back because they knew how serious this was.

"I agree. From now on, if someone has to go somewhere you'll be driven from point A to point B." Sharpay's dad pitched in.

"You guys will travel in groups. No one is to be left alone, which isn't a problem because most of the time you guys do stay together." Andrew said.

"We're going to work out a carpooling time since most of us work early in the morning."

"Or we could do mass sleepovers." Gabby pitched.

"That sounds like a good idea actually. I don't have a problem with that."

The other parents agreed. Lily looked at us. "I know you guys feel like we're babying you, but two deaths within a week of each other and one happening at your school during school hours is really hitting too close to home."

"And besides, I'm sure it will get better and things will calm down. Then we can remove the restrictions." Troy's dad said.

Only how wrong they were. Four days after Jacob's death two more students were killed and both were found with nooses around their necks in the main hallway at school. Sara and Jennifer were two identical twins that most people knew. Both were freshmen and I used to tutor both of them in English. Parents and teachers alike decided that it would only be smart to close school for a little while. Teachers and students were moved to doing work at home and online. It was easy to say that I was definitely being targeted but I was no longer a killer.

Things didn't improve at all. As days went on, more high school students were being killed and most of them had some relation to me. Jesse a senior quarterback was a TA with me during my fourth period. Brady was on the scholastic decathlon team and was my co-captain. Jada was my biology partner. Amy was another freshman that I mentored and Devin was a close friend of Star's.

That night we were all over at Chad's house and I wouldn't bring myself to meet anyone's eyes. Devin was like my little brother and even though the other deaths affected me, Devin's did me in. Chad wouldn't let me out of his sight when we heard the news of Devin's death. For once when Gabby and the others walked in, no one made a single comment about Chad having his arms wrapped around me and me hiding in them.

Gabby sat down in front of us. "Who the hell is killing all of these people?"

"I wish I knew. Who murders a freshman in the prime of their lives?" I spat.

Chad rubbed my back. "We don't know beautiful."

"I just hope they catch the bastard soon. No offense or anything but I miss being outside." Jason whined.

We all nodded in agreement. "Does it make me a bad person if I have the notion that my dad has escape prison and is killing all of these people to get back at me?" I whispered.

"No sweetheart, it doesn't. And I don't think it's your dad because usually the news would report something like that." Chad smoothed down my hair.

"He might have escaped though. My dad is cleaver like that."

Kelsi grabbed my hand. "Don't give into those thoughts Taylor; if you do he's winning."

"He won when he killed Jacob. "

No one said anything. Jacob was still a fresh wound even though he had been laid to rest about two weeks ago. I sighed and laid my head on Chad's shoulder.

I knew what I had to do. "Troy? Set up those DDR mats, I think we need to do some exercise."

Chad figured I would make a break for it or something, so Chad didn't take any turns playing Dance, Dance Revolution. Instead Chad kept his eyes closely trained on me. Poor goofball, if only he knew I wasn't planning to escape I was just trying to get everyone's minds off of how horrible the situation had grown.

By hour three, I had pulled Chad to the side and explained to him that I wasn't going to make a break for it. I told Chad my plan about just trying to get everyone's mind off of the deaths. Once Chad saw how serious I was he finally began to loosen up and finally joined in with the game. We were all laughing and having fun when Chad's mother came down stairs.

"Kids? I have some . . . more bad news for you. Did you guys know a Martha Cox?"

Our breaths caught in our throat. No it couldn't be.

"She was found dead this morning sitting in her car. Her throat has been slit open."

_Dun Dun. I apologize to my Martha fans. No, I didn't kill Martha off because of her big mouth or anything like that. Martha didn't really play a role in this story at all but anyone who is a true HSM knows that Martha is secretly apart of the group. She's just not aired enough. Anyway though, people are dying left and right and they're all linked to Taylor, I wonder who the killer could be?_


	25. What Would You Do?

"Today we are gathered here to lay a wonderful person into eternal slumber. Martha Grace Cox will always be remembered as the girl with a wide smile on her face, and her readiness to help others."

I stepped closer to Gabby. Since the killings began, no one was able to really attend any of the services but killings or not most people students and teachers alike came to Martha's. Even though after Martha told other people about my secret I forgave her, and I'm glad I did. I wouldn't be feeling great amounts of guilt and not being able to forgive her. Martha apologized and I forgave. Ryan was probably taking this harder than anyone else. Ryan and Martha would occasionally date, and I think Ryan felt something for Martha but neither of them seemed to be in much of a hurry to make anything official.

Looking across the sea of people in black, Sharpay had her arms wrapped around Ryan while Ryan was fighting tears. Chad grabbed my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Since the teenager lock-down Chad was itching to take me to get that ice cream he promised but I had to tell him that we had time, ice cream was probably going to be around forever and we could get a scoop at any time.

As the ceremony ended, it was strictly back to lock-down for most of us teenagers. Even though Martha's parents were pretty overcome with grief they understood that the lives of their daughter's classmates had to be saved. Of course before my group left the cemetery we all gave Martha's parents hugs and words of apology. Martha's mom invited us to come over whenever we wanted; even though Martha was gone she would still like the company. We all agreed. Our parents head counted us, ushered us in cars and drove us to Sharpay and Ryan's mansion.

For the next couple of days they were hard for Ryan, but I stayed close to him and the rest of us did too. Ryan finally broke down at about day five and I was the shoulder he cried on. When Ryan waterworks started we were playing Monopoly and when Jason landed on the boardwalk it seemed to trigger something.

"Martha always bought that land."

Chad was about to roll the dice when I stopped him. "She did? That must have been her favorite place." I said.

Ryan nodded his head and a smile crossed his face. "I used to hate when I would land on that place, Martha always made me go bankrupt with that damned spot."

Ryan quietly laughed and looked down at his money; I put my hand over his. "She was the best at Monopoly. No one was even worth a match against her."

I guess my words had finally broken something down in Ryan because he nodded his head and put his head in his hands. "Chad, your turn roll the dice."

Chad looked at me and I nodded my head. While Chad rolled, I wrapped an arm around Ryan and rubbed his arm. Ryan fell into my shoulder and began to cry. When I felt hot tears on my shoulder I wrapped Ryan into a hug.

"I'm sorry Taylor." Ryan said as he tried to break free from me. I still had Ryan in a hug.

"Ryan, it is okay to cry you know. No one would judge you. Crying only makes your stronger." I said.

Ryan raised his head. Behind his blue glassy eyes, pain was present. Ryan's eyes weren't the warm and happy eyes that they normally were, instead his eyes reflected pain. Ryan finally couldn't hold it in and tears leaked from his eyes. I pulled Ryan close and Gabby hugged both of us to her. I couldn't help but shed my own tears as well.

"Let it out Ry, let it out." I coached.

Once I started crying it wasn't long until all the girls started to cry. The guys, I'm not sure if they started crying but I burrowed my face in Ryan's hair and started crying along with him.

After our cry session, Ryan seemed a little less sad. Of course he would probably hold a place in his heart for Martha but for now he was wasn't in as much pain. Four weeks had past and no one else was killed. Our parents told us if five more days went by and no one else was killed they'd let us go outside for a little while. Six days had passed and no one else was killed.

"Mom please? Can we go? Pllllllease? It's just up the street and it would just be for lunch. We would go straight there and back." Gabby pleaded.

"Besides, all the other kids will be there. It's free lunch at the Ploymer. Please?" Sharpay tacked on.

"So let me guess, if the other kids were going to jump off of a-"Maria began.

"No, we wouldn't be stupid to jump off of a bridge mom that's what bungee jumping is for. Please mom. Just please."

The parents sighed. "We did tell them five days, it has been six. And they would have their phones on them, and it is just up the street. We can get them pretty fast." Jack Bolton suggested.

The parents took a moment and then gave in. Everyone cheered and within ten minutes we were loaded up in cars with our parents driving us. When we got to the diner, our parents gave us money just in case and they made us turn all of our phones on loud so we could hear. The slightest commotion and we were to call them immediately.

"Yes mom." We all droned.

Of course we got evil looks, but our parents gave us smiles and kicked us out of the car. Gabby grabbed my hand and Sharpay grabbed Gabby's free hand Laughing and joking we began to walk to the diner. Turning around, I looked at our parents. Every parent's face held worry, but Sarah's face held the most worry. I mouthed, 'I love you' to Sarah and she mouthed back the same. I knew that if I was killed today, Sarah would feel so much pain and hurt but at least I was able to tell her I loved her. Once our parents drove off, Chad grabbed my other hand and together we all walked into the busy diner.

"My favorite kids are here."

"Hi Catherine, how are you?"

Catharine was a waitress that always catered to most people that came into the diner. But apparently we were her favorite kids because we were always not leaving a mess and we could clean up other neighboring tables before she got to them.

"I'm doing well. It's good to see you kids out and about, for a while business has been dead, with the killings and all." Cat hung her head. "I'm sorry about Martha."

Ryan put his head down for a minute then shook his head. "Thanks. It means a lot to us."

Cat smiled then grabbed out her pencil and paper, "What can I get you guys? Anything and everything on the menu is free today."

"Whoo!" Jason cheered.

Everyone laughed and ordered. While we were waiting for our food I took in how busy the diner really was. Where my group was seated was at the front near the kitchen. We were lucky to even get these seats. Chad was on the end and I was in between him and Troy. The diner wasn't that big but big enough to house most of East High and a few other people. Naturally where there was free food, teens followed. Gabby and the girls excused themselves to the bathroom and the guys except for Chad went to go and talk to some of the guys from the basketball team.

Chad caught eyes with Rob, the guy that usually filled drinks.

"Hey man, can you get me two bowls of chocolate ice cream with sprinkles?" Chad asked.

Rob nodded his head and scooped up two big bowls of ice cream and brought them to us. Chad handed him a ten and gave him a thank you. I gave him one too.

Chad held up his spoon. "To being free for a little while."

"Cheers." I said with a smile.

Chad and I dug into our ice cream. Taking a careful spoonful, I looked over at Chad. Chad looked up from his ice cream and gave me a smile. Then I noticed he had some ice cream on his chin.

Rubbing at the spot on my chin, Chad looked at me then rubbed at his cheek.

"Did I get it?"

I shook my head and tried again. "It's right there."

"Here?" Chad missed again.

"Let me get it for you. You'll scare off any girl game your trying to get."

"Girl game? What is that?" Chad questioned.

Laughing before I knew what I was doing I lowered my face and kissed Chad's chin licking up the ice cream in the process. Sitting back with a blush I mumbled that I got it and went back to my ice cream. I could feel Chad's eyes on me and it only made me blush harder.

"Hey, you have some ice cream on your nose."

Becoming in embarrassed I wiped my nose and I asked Chad if I got it.

"Here, let me get it for you. You'll scare off any suitable suitors within a twenty-five mile radius."

Chad swooped in and kissed my nose.

"You guys always do the cutest things when we aren't around don't you?" Gabby chided.

Chad and I both blushed, and the girls laughed. I knew I wasn't going to be living that one down for a while. The guys came back and gave Chad smiles and lifty eyebrows. When the food came, Chad and I became the most interested in our food. While we were in the middle of eating, an older gentleman got up. He had a cane and was balancing a few empty plates in one hand while trying to walk to the counter. The older gentleman made it about half way, when Brandy, a snooty cheerleader bumped into him. It sent him and his dishes cluttering to the ground.

"Watch where you're going old man, God, you people need to be put in a home and kept there." Brandy walked back over to her friends.

Chad and I both got up and walked over to the man. I picked up the dishes that were on the floor and Chad helped the man up.

"Are you okay sir? I know Brandy is a tad bit rude but she's usually a sweet girl." I commented.

The older man laughed. "Oh, don't worry about it. I should have watched where I was going, after all, I don't move as fast as I used to." He gestured to his cane.

"It's still no excuse; she shouldn't have knocked you down like that." Chad commented.

"That's life to her. There are people that knock you down, and there are people that will help you up." The older man smiled at me and Chad.

While Chad helped the man back to his table, I walked the dishes up to the counter. I walked back over to Chad and the man was thanking Chad and I for helping him up.

"It's not a problem. You're supposed to help others when they need help." Chad said.

I nodded my head. The man began to dig out his wallet and pulled out two twenty dollar bills and offered them to us.

"Oh no thank you sir." Chad refused the money and I shook my head. "We're just glad you're okay. Can we get you anything?" I asked.

The man shook his head and placed one of the twenties on the table and put the other one in his wallet.

"No thank you kids, I'll just be on my way. Thank you again for your help."

Chad helped the man up and offered to walk him to his car, the man refused. Chad and I watched the man hobble away. When Chad and I walked back to our seats, our friends were watching us.

"First you two mac on each other then you two save the day. Is there anything else you two won't do?"

"Maybe Taylor could call someone?" A voice called out.

We all turned our heads, and my face lit up. I launched off of my seat and into Shea's arms. Then I jumped on Braiden.

"Shea and Braiden! What are you two doing here in Cherry Grove?" I asked.

"We heard about the murders here and you weren't returning my calls, let alone calling me so Braiden and I caught a flight and came to see you."

I hugged them both again, then turned and looked at my friends. "Oh, Shea and Braiden these are my friends I was telling you about." I pointed to each person and called out names. Everyone waved at each other, and then Gabby made room for both of them.

"So you're the friends that saved Taylor from her dad then?" Chad questioned.

Both nodded their heads. "We thought Taylor was a goner that day. She was losing so much blood we thought we wouldn't make it to the hospital in time."

"But we did and next thing we know Taylor and Sarah were on their way leaving the state and back here. Taylor was so happy to get out of town, with her dad rotting in prison and she put some major miles between him, I would imagine that life is going good again?"

"Yup, today is the first day of being off of lockdown."

"Yeah we heard, Sarah informed us that you were here actually. So she drove us here when we stopped by your place."

I smiled and before I knew it all of us were laughing and swapping stories. Most of them of course were about me. Embarrassing alike, but unlike Chad I took it and laughed along with everyone. Time flew by and our parents came and picked us up. Shea and Braiden were introduced to parents and we were all shuttled to Troy's house. Just because it had been a few days, the parents wanted to be safe and keep us together a few more nights. We had fun and we were all passed out by ten p.m.

_Two weeks later_

"I knew it was too good to be true. And just when I was getting used to sleeping in my own bed again." I grumbled.

"Today, Brandy Harris was found dead at the bottom of the local swimming pool at Dry Oaks Community Park. Authorities were called early this morning and have closed down the park until more information can be found. Sounds like our teens are going back on lockdown tonight." The news reporter informed.

Sarah looked at me and I turned on my heel. "I'll go and tell Shea and Braiden to pack."

Within half an hour, our group including Shea and Braiden were sitting on Chad's couch with cereal bowls and watching cartoons with his younger sisters. Most of us weren't upset about being back together but at the same time we didn't care, as long as food was available we'd go anywhere. Chad's sisters were cuddled up close to me and we were watching episodes of Wix Club.

"Guys, I need to know something." I asked.

"What?"

"No offense or anything but do you guys miss sleeping in your own beds?" I asked.

The whole group responded. "Only person that has it made right now is Chad. He can go and climb in his bed and sleep." Ryan complained.

Chad chewed his cereal then swallowed. "I have no issues with anyone climbing in my bed and sleeping in it."

"You want Taylor to raise her hand first." Gabby joked.

Olivia turned to me. "Taylor, what is Gabby talking about?" Olivia asked.

I gulped down my cereal and tried not to choke. "Sweetheart she means that she's volunteering me to help you guys make up your beds later."

"Or maybe right now." Lily ordered.

The girls groaned and got up. They marched into the kitchen and then upstairs to make up their beds.

"Chad, she meant you too you know." Ryan joked.

"Oh unlike them, I make up my bed before I leave my room. They were excited to know that Taylor was coming over."

"Aww, so they see you like an older sister Taylor?" Shea asked.

"Uh huh, Taylor can do no wrong in their eyes." Chad responded.

Troy picked up the remote and flipped through the channels.

"It's just in, another teen has been murdered and was found-"

"GO BACK!" We all screamed.

Troy flipped the channel back. "Tracy Davis has been found dead in her bedroom. This is of course a few hours since our last report. It seems that our killer is back. More details to come."

"Crap! Now we're really stuck on lockdown." Kelsi complained.

We nodded our heads and abandoned our cereal bowls. Chad put his head in his hands and everyone seemed to be down. Andrew walked into the living room.

"Geez, am I that unwanted?"

No one laughed; instead I grabbed the remote and pressed the rewind button. I let it play and Andrew watched. Once the recording ended, he quickly walked out of the room. It was going to be a long lock-down period.

* * *

"I really need to go to the store mom. Please just come with us; I've worn everything in my closet twice. When I go back to school it won't feel new." Sharpay complained.

"Sharpay you know you guys can't." Sharpay's mom responded. "Why don't you just shop online and get it delivered?"

"Because mom it's not the same. And besides, we haven't had sunshine in days."

"We're doing it to keep you kids safe. And it's not like you guys need it, any other time before this you guys weren't big on playing outside."

"But we want it now. Can't you just hire us some bodyguards for the day?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

Sharpay sighed and stomped off. Gabby and I followed behind her. It was day twenty-nine and we were on lock-down mode. Shea and Braiden didn't seem too bothered by being locked up with us. They actually enjoyed it.

"You guys are complaining about not going to school? God, what planet are you guys from?"

"We haven't been in school for almost three months now. I'm not going to lie, I miss getting up early and being grouchy about being at school. This is waay worse than Darbus detention." Zeke said

"That's not a lie." Chad piped in.

I sighed. I was going to go stir-crazy soon and I knew my friends weren't far behind. I got up and walked into the living room where Sarah was grading papers. Most of the time the parents stayed at the house as us kids were, and this time was no exception. Sarah had a living room that she used to grade her papers in. It was her area and I didn't like to set foot in it unless it was important.

"Dammit." Sarah cursed.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm so tired of grading. This being in the house all the time is driving me crazy and I can't grade papers well."

"Do you want me to take over?" I asked sitting down next to Sarah on the couch.

"No sweetpea. I've got this. I would just love to get out of the house for a few hours you know? Maybe hit the mall."

I couldn't help the corners of my mouth turn up. "You know we could do that."

"Taylor. . ." Sarah warned.

"What? You said you needed out. We need out it, all works out. Maybe you can convince the other parents for a field trip?"

"But Taylor. . ."

"Mom, listen. The killer has been striking most during the morning and at night. It's one in the afternoon. We wouldn't be going alone all of you guys would come with us. It would feel good to stretch your legs a bit, wouldn't it?" I baited.

"Well when you put it that way . . . I guess I could talk to the other parents and see what they say."

"Yes!" I cried.

"Don't get too excited. They have to say yes first."

"Say yes to what?" Maria asked.

"If we could have a field trip to the mall, before you say no Maria, we're talking that all the parents would come with. No one would be alone at all. It would be supervised at all times."

"But the killer is still out there Taylor."

"True, but he's only striking early in the morning and at night. It's only one in the afternoon. It would be a short trip, and we would all be back before dark. Please Maria, we're dying. Please."

Maria thought for a minute, and then nodded her head. "Your right, you kids are cooped up and it would be nice to be around people believe it or not. Go tell everyone to get ready; we're leaving in thirty minutes."

Jumping up from my seat I hugged Sarah and Maria and darted up the stairs.

"I did it! We're going on a field trip! Get ready, we're leaving in thirty minutes." I called.

Everyone's ears perked up and they scrambled to get ready. Within twenty everyone was ready to go and we were placed in cars and took off to the mall.

"Ahh, I'm back in my natural habitat." Sharpay sighed.

Our parents were following behind us, but not too much. The girl's mothers, Sarah and Chad's mother, Zeke, Troy and Jason's moms were toting around bags while the guys were very far behind us grumbling about holding all the bags. I hadn't bought much stuff but the stuff I did buy I was carrying it all. Chad wanted to hold it but I told him I was capable of carrying my bags. Chad and I made the agreement that the next purchase I made he got to hold it. It was only because I lost four to five in rock, paper, and scissors.

"Can we please stop off at a GameStop or something? I don't think I'm seeing straight." Jason whined.

"I'm not either son." Jason's dad said

"If you guys are soo tired of hanging out with us, why don't you go to sports authority or something? We girls can handle ourselves." Lily called.

"Yeah, we can handle it."

The guys stopped for a moment and looked at each other. "Are they trying to set us up?" Jack asked.

"I don't know." Andrew responded.

"We're serious. Go do your guy thing. If we need help, we'll scream for you." Sharpay's mom said.

The guys did a double take and walked past us. The guys huddled up and began to whisper in a group. A lot of looking up at us from the huddle resulted and before we knew it they broke apart.

"We'll raise your scream with giving you Chad and Troy and Zeke. At least there's some muscle to keep you guys safe."

Sharpay ran over to Zeke and kissed his cheek and gave him her bags. Troy walked over to Gabby and held his hand out, Gabby shyly took it and Chad walked next to me. The guys and Shea waved goodbye and took off down the hallway screaming and laughing. I looked at Chad and he looked off into the distance. We began to walk and walked to a store for our mom's. The girls and I decided to sit that one out. We posted ourselves outside of the store on a bench. Because the girls took up all the room, I was forced to sit in Chad's lap.

"I'm sorry. I feel like I'm invading your bubble right now. I hope I'm not too heavy for you."

Chad shook his head. "You're fine beautiful. Don't worry your pretty little head about me. Are you having fun?"

I nodded my head. "I'm just happy to be out of the house."

I looked over the glass railing and noticed a group of girls walking on the floor underneath us. They were very snooty and I'm sure they were wearing everything fake. The girls were laughing and joking when they bumped into a man with a cane.

"Watch where you're going old man, God, I'm walking here." One of the girls screamed.

I couldn't help but zoom in on the man. It was the same guy from the diner. He got up and brushed himself off. He hobbled in the other direction, but not after watching which way the girls were walking.

"Taylor? You okay?"

"It's the guy from the diner."

"What?" Chad asked.

I pointed. Chad and everyone else turned around. The guy from the diner hobbled away. Even after the girls turned back to what they were doing, I kept my eye on the guy. Something wasn't right about him. Our mothers came out of the store and we walked back in the opposite direction that we came. While we continued to shop, I kept my eyes trained on the windows and watched to see if the old man passed by. While we were in the Disney Store for the girls, the snooty girls from earlier walked by, keeping my eyes on them I timed how long it took to see if the old man would walk by too. Within five minutes the old man passed by.

"Hey Sarah I see a classmate outside, I'm going to go and say hi really quick." I dashed out the store before Sarah could say anything.

I had my bags in hands and followed behind the old man. Chad rushed up behind me and the other followed too.

"Taylor I don't see anyone."

"Shh!" I hissed. I pointed ahead. "Something doesn't feel right with the guy from the diner. He's following the girls from earlier."

"What girls from earlier?" Troy asked.

"Never mind, I don't want to-"I cursed when I lost them in the crowd. "Fuck, I lost them."

"Ooh Taylor said a bad word." Gabby joked.

I scanned the crowd and saw the top of one of the girls' heads going into a sex shop, of all the places to go into. I sighed and walked towards the shop. A few seconds later the old man walked into the sex shop and I took a deep breath and began to walk to the Kinky Bean.

"Taylor? What the fuck are you doing? That's a sex shop." Sharpay pointed out.

"I know that. What can I say; I wanna get some ideas for a science project." I said and walked into the shop.

Keeping plenty of distance, I kept my eyes trained on the girls. I didn't care too much about the guy until my suspicions were confirmed, I couldn't say anything. One of the girls from the group got sidetracked and began to flirt with the shopkeeper. She was the one that knocked the old man down earlier in the hallway. After a while the guy and girl were whispering things to each other and she began to rub up against him. Before anyone knew it they were sneaking away to the back of the shop. Her friends didn't care, instead cheered her on. While the girls were looking at fuzzy handcuffs, the old man snuck to the back too.

"Gotcha." I whispered and followed behind the old man.

Chad grabbed me. "Taylor? What are you doing? You know that couple is going back there to you know."

I ripped my arm from Chad's. "I know that, the old man is going to doing something to that girl. We have to stop him."

"Taylor, he's an old man he can't hurt anyone. He's got a cane. The least he might do is peep on her. Just let it go." Chad said.

Walking away from Chad, I dropped my bags. "Okay, then prove me wrong. Come in the back with me. If I'm wrong, you can take me out on a date AND carry all of my bags on every shopping trip." I held out my hand.

Chad shook my hand and the whole group followed behind me to the back. When we got to the back, things seemed to have worsened. The shopkeeper was laying on the ground bleeding and his eyes were wide open and not breathing. Gasping, I continued to walk farther into the back of the shop. The girls stayed back but Chad and Troy followed me. Zig zagging back and forth, we reached a door and busted it open. In a small black room, the girl was tied up and her clothes were ripped away from her body. She had a ball gag in her mouth, and the old man was knee deep inside her and had a knife drawing designs on her. He was slicing his way her leg when without thinking I launched myself on him. I managed to knock him off of the girl and I was holding him down. The old man had knocked me off of him and kicked me in the stomach. Being winded for a second, I leaped at him again and knocked him over. I was struggling to keep the guy down when the old man got up and elbowed me in the face. I flew on my back. The old man walked over to me and grabbed my neck and began to choke me, the old man was pulling out another knife from his pants. Just as I was starting to lose my breath, Chad leaped on him. The old man was knocked to the ground, except Chad punched him in the face. The old man knocked out.

I sat up and my hands grasped my neck. Chad was grabbing some rope and began to tie the guy up.

"Troy, call 911." Chad directed.

Troy nodded his head and walked out of the room. I got up and walked towards the girl. The knife was stuck in her thigh. Her eyes were leaking with tears. I grabbed some coats that were on the floor and without moving her too much I covered her up. I took the ball gag out of her mouth.

"Thank you, Thank you so much. I knew I was dead when that old man killed the guy with his cane."

I quieted her. "Shh, try and rest. Save your energy, you've got a bad uh cut on your leg."

The girl tried to look but Chad came over and diverted her attention elsewhere. Within ten minutes the cops and paramedics had swarmed into the small room. Troy talked to the cops and the paramedics took a look at us. I pointed to the girl.

"We're okay; she's the one that needs medical attention the most." I said.

Chad walked over to me and hugged me tightly. I rubbed his back. "You were right. The old man was up to no good. Another person could have been killed but you saved her life. I'm so sorry Taylor."

"Chad, it's okay. What matters is that we got here when we did."

Chad pulled me back and looked at my face. "You have a bruise forming on your face Taylor."

Chad gently touched it, and it flared with heat. I hissed, and Chad took his hand away from my cheek and just hugged me close to him. "That's it, you're done saving citizens. You're getting too messed up. How's your stomach?" Chad said.

I lifted my shirt and a bruise was beginning to form. I shrugged. "Nothing I haven't had before. This is like Childs play, the guy couldn't hit worth shit." I joked.

Chad cut his eyes at me and we were escorted out of the room. When we came out of the Kinky Bean, a crowd had formed. Our mothers were fighting through the crowd.

"Taylor!" Sarah called.

I ran into her arms and Sarah began to cry into my hair. "What the hell happened? I was so worried. You said you would be just outside and I looked outside and you guys weren't there."

"Something wasn't right and I followed behind a guy." I said.

Chad came up next to us. "It's a good thing she did. She saved a girl's life."

After the other mothers gathered us up and my cheek was explained the cops came out, trying to move the crowd. But reporters wouldn't budge.

"Has the mysterious killer made another killing?"

"Not this time. We do have the mysterious killer in custody now. He has admitted it was him that did all the killings. He's off of the streets and won't be harming anymore teenagers." The cop stated.

The reporters buzzed and asked more questions. While the medical team was looking at my bruises after begin coached by Chad to be looked at, the dad's and Shea showed up.

"What's going on? Why is Taylor in the back of the ambulance?" Andrew questioned.

"Taylor caught the teen killer and saved a girl's life." Gabby boasted.

While the dads and most of the group came over and talked to me, Chad and Shea watched from afar.

"You saved her life huh?"

"Kind of, the guy was coming at her with a knife and I knocked him out."

"Saw red yes?"

"A little, I'm just glad I was there. Taylor might have met the same fate as the guy did."

"Aren't you glad you came back to the states?" Shea asked

Chad looked at her sideways. "How did you know that?"

"Taylor told me about you. She said that you were in Italy and she missed you."

"Taylor said that?" Chad questioned.

"Among other things that I cannot share with you, but yes she told me that."

Chad nodded his head and sat down. "Taylor means the world to me, and she was almost taken away from me, right in front of me."

"Aren't you glad that you're back to where heart was left?"

Chad looked at Shea. "What? How do you know . . . about . . .?"

"Because I'm the one that called you eight months ago while you were in Italy. " Shea admitted.

* * *

_Ta da! So the teen killer has been caught and Shea admits to Chad that she was the one that called him in Italy. Holy. Crap. And you guys thought it was Taylor's dad behind the killings. Guess that was a major plot twist wasn't it? I can't express how much I love you guys and I love all of your reviews. They make me very happy and make me keep putting faster chapters out. Sadly the frequent updating is coming to a close. The semester is starting up again on Monday so school wins this time guys, but summer is just around the corner yes? Happy reading and keep Dirty Truth in your hearts. Till summer._


	26. Desperate Measures

_**Be warned, there is some mild cursing. Please read with caution. Thanks.**_

"Will the defendant please stand."

I was hiding in Chad's shoulder because I could not look the old man in the eye. This same old man that Chad and I helped in the diner about three weeks ago who was knocked down by Brandy, the same old man that killed most of my classmates off and a few other teens that didn't go to East High, the very same old man that killed Martha Cox.

"Case 4096, Ethan West is being tried for 26 cases of second degree murder and 12 cases of raping minor girls." The judge boomed.

Ethan, the man who used the help of a cane stood proudly without it and was brightly colored in an orange jumper.

"Ethan, today we are going to hear why you did what you did to those teenagers. You may speak."

"Well your honor if you will just look at-"The attorney stammered out.

The judge banged on his gravel and the whole room jumped. "I said Ethan, not his attorney. We've heard enough out of you." The judge locked eyes with Ethan. "Ethan, the floor is yours."

Ethan cleared his throat. "Your honor, kids these days wouldn't you say they're something else?"

The judge nodded. "They're a new generation yes."

"Have you ever looked at a teenager and wanted to pat their shoulder and tell them how great they are? For mowing the lawns without asking for a payment? Or for washing your car without being asked to?"

The judge nodded again.

"Those children are what made our country great, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes."

"But then, when that same child doesn't bid you a good morning when you're out taking a morning walk. Or when that same child bumps your down and says its YOU'RE fault for being in THEIR way. Doesn't it make you want to strangle them? And continue to choke them until the light fades from their eyes?"

The court room erupted in gasps. Chatter began to erupt and the Judge banged his gravel again calling for silence. Once the courtroom quieted down, the Judge let Ethan speak.

"Your Honor, I'm sure I'm not alone here. I mean these children now need discipline, they need action they need-"

"For you to be killed!" A woman cried out.

The Judge looked at the sheriff that stood at the front of the courtroom. The sheriff quickly escorted the woman out of the room. While the other sheriff was out, another one popped up next to the Judge.

"Continue Mr. West."

"You're Honor. These children that I have helped, they all did something disrespectful. Most in which needed to be taught a lesson."

Ethan began to pick off the names of all the students and teens that he killed.

"The last one, Martha Cox she cut me off on the highway. So, I followed her home. She didn't even see it coming, nor did she even apologize."

"So, let me get this straight Mr. West, you killed all of these teenagers because they did something to you and didn't give you an apology?"

"That is correct."

"For the love of God." I mumbled. Was this guy serious?

Needless to say that after Ethan, the old mad confessed to that it didn't take long for the judge to sentence him to the death penalty. For once, our parents and tax payers were happy to use their money to put this wacko to rest. As the courtroom began to clear out the group and our parents, including Shea and Braiden didn't move. I didn't realize that I was still tightly holding Chad's hand.

"Sorry." I said as I let his hand go.

Chad rubbed his hand. "No worries. I needed something to hold onto as well."

I smiled at Chad and my hip vibrated. I pulled out my phone and saw that I had a text.

_What did I miss? –R_

Pulling out my keyboard I typed back to Ryan that Ethan admitted to all the killing and he was sentenced to the death penalty.

_Did you want us to come by? –TayTay_

A few seconds went by and my phone vibrated.

_No. I'll be okay. Thanks though. See you Monday. ily. – R_

_I love you too dude. Stay strong. –TayTay_

"Was that Ryan?" Gabby questioned.

I nodded my head. "Yeah, he doesn't want us to come by. Which of course we should at least stop by and give him his favorite cookies. You know, that's your cue Zeke."

"You got it Tay." Zeke winked and wrapped an arm around Sharpay.

When our parents deemed it okay, we all quietly left the courthouse. Our parents were going to continue to drive us to school for the rest of the week then we would be able to drive ourselves. I was able to sleep in my own bed again.

_Star P.O.V._

"What the hell is going on here?!" I screamed.

A blow was delivered to my face. Instead of cowering away like I always did, I stood right back up. I took a deep breath and screamed loudly. I didn't see the dirty gym sock coming.

"Look you little bold bitch. Sit the fuck down, and shut the fuck up okay? Are you just TRYING to get us killed?" My dad whispered.

It was dark now, moments before I could see now I couldn't. I was pretty sure that I had my eyes open but when I would close my eyes my vision didn't change. I brought my hands up to my face and something was indeed covering my face. My dad had put some kind of sack over my head and tied it to something that I couldn't find. It wasn't constricting yet, but I couldn't touch my face. All I know is I had to keep my tongue away from the front of my mouth or a nice and tasty wave of sweat and dirt would kiss my taste buds. When I got this sack off my head, my dad was so going to get kicked in his balls with a steel toed hammer.

While my head was submerged in the sack I had learned that my dad had duct taped the sock to my mouth. So now I had dirty sock in my mouth and duct tape to worry about.

I think I had fallen asleep, I'm not really sure. All I know is I felt rough hands pawing at the sack around my head.

"You make any extra movements; you will get cut with this bloody knife. Do you want that?" My dad demanded.

I didn't say a word. "Godamnit. You are just like your fucking sister. Does no one respond when spoken to anymore? "My dad cut away at something until I jumped. "Shit."

My dad had grazed me with the knife and I could feel myself beginning to bleed. "I told you to stay still. What do you do? You move." My dad sighed and before I knew it, light flooded my vision.

I blinked a few times and I was in a different room than before. The room was the size of a closet and it was warmly lit. I was sitting in a chair and I was tied to it. With a simple flick of my dad's wrist the ropes. I would have jumped up, if I didn't still have the sock in my mouth.

"Now you're free, why won't you sing pretty little bird?"

All I did was look at my dad.

"Oh. The duct tape." My dad snapped.

Without warning my dad ripped the duct tape from my mouth. I didn't scream, I didn't even blink instead I spat the sock out. Right in my dad's face.

"Oh you cleaver little bitch, just like your-"

"Damned sister. I got it. I got it. Where are we now? Canada?" I questioned.

My dad smiled and lightly patted my cheek. "Never you mind dear. You and I are going to have bonding time."

All I could do was roll my eyes. "You aren't touching me you old bastard."

My dad's face lit up. "Oooh. She DOES talk dirty. You're sister never did that."

Standing up, I pushed my dad out of the way and began to walk towards the door when my dad magically covered it with his body.

"Tsk Tsk princess, I told you we're having family time right now. Don't you want to spend time with your old man? I mean your old bastard of a father?" My father waggled his eyebrows at me.

"Only when hell freezes over and when heaven turns to the new hell." I looked around the room and realized grandma was nowhere to be found. "Where's grandma?"

"Oh now you care about your grandmother. You didn't care about her when we were on the train and you were continuing to defy me."

"I'm not going to ask again, where is grandma?"

"She's out for the moment."

"I swear to God dad if you touched a single hair on her head-"

"Will you two shut up?"

My grandma rammed the door open and my dad cluttered to the floor. Even though my grandma was on team evil dad I still worried about her. She wasn't getting any younger and as food got scarcer to come by, she was losing weight faster than I was. Even though I hated every fiber of her being along with my fathers, pity was eating me up inside. Only if Taylor were here would she know what to do.

My dad looked at my grandma and they talked quietly with their eyes. "sooo…?"

"It's done."

"What's done?" I asked.

Grandma looked at me. "Jesus Aaron, what did you do to her? She's bleeding a river over there."

Oh yeah. My hand went to my cheek and then I fell to the ground.

Maybe about half an hour I felt someone or something addressing my wound and placing something cool on my forehead. I slowly opened my eyes expecting to see my grandma but instead I found. . .

"Dad?"

My dad jumped a little bit but continued to wipe at my cut. The fuck is he doing touching me and fixing me?

"Why are you-"

"Don't worry I didn't touch you. I've only touched your face."

"But but you, you don't do. . ."

"Stuff like this? No, I don't, but you know since you fell and I caught you I thought, 'hey maybe since I cut you I should clean the cut.'"

My dad continued to clean my cut and I tried not to slap myself awake. This was a dream right? My dad addressing my wounds and keeping his hands to himself? Total dream.

"You know I'm not totally evil. I do have a heart."

"You're choosing to use it now? Why didn't you use it when you were murdering your daughter in cold blood?"

My dad sighed. "You don't understand, it wasn't like that Star Taylor is-"

"We did it!" A voice cried out.

"What did you two do now?" I said sitting up.

My grandma was dressed in a waitress uniform. She came in and handed my dad a wad of money. Great, first they kidnap me and now they're stealing? How much faster can I end up in foster care or maybe even juvie?

"I got the job!"

"Job?" I asked.

My grandma gave me a duh look then looked at my dad. "You didn't tell her yet did you?"

"Tell me what? Don't make me scream."

"You scream I will surely smack you into next week little girl. You're father and I decided that we need to start over. A fresh start, and since your face is still being plastered all over the place you can't work or leave our sights. If someone spots you, a lot of shit is going down. Do you want that?"

I crossed my arms over my chest. "You're giving me the option to say what I want? How nice of you."

"Why can't we tie her up again Aaron?" My grandma asked.

My dad looked at me. "Because if we tie her up and she gets loose she might murder us in our sleep or something. I don't know about you but I'd prefer that didn't happen. Not when I want to get to know my little girl."

My dad walked over to me and dropped to his knees. "I have a lot of making up to do and if you'll let me I'd like to try and be a better father to you, since I was such a horrible one to you and your sister. Will you let me Star?" my dad pleaded.

Stepping away from my dad I crossed my arms over my chest again. "If I was stupid I'd say sure. But I'm not stupid and I do not believe you. Ever. Nice try asshole."

Stomping away from my dad I picked a corner and curled myself up. I kept my eyes on my dad and grandma. Normally you shouldn't put yourself in such a tight space but since the room was already small I didn't have much of a choice.

_Three weeks later. . . _

I sat straight up. I wrapped my arms around myself to try and control my shaking. I had another nightmare about Taylor and this time I was the one that killed her. Rather, I saw through my dad's eyes on how he killed her. I had a gun in my hand and I pulled the trigger. Bang. Her brains and blood were spattered along the walls and her lifeless eyes were staring up at me. Moments after I killed Taylor, she came after me. The gun didn't work on ghosts and she was going to kill me. She had wrapped her cold hands around my neck and just as I was slipping under I woke up.

I quietly whimpered and hoped no one heard me. I had the closet room all to myself now, the door lead to a slightly bigger place that I only got to see four times a day.

"Star? Are you alright?"

Crap someone heard me. I couldn't fake sleep even if I wanted to, I was too afraid to close my eyes. I knew I would see Taylor's lifeless eyes staring back at me.

"Star?"

I didn't say anything, instead I looked up. My dad towered over me. "Are you okay? Did you need to use the bathroom?"

I shook my head and wrapped the sheet closer to my body. Of course when I went to bed I always slept very lightly in case my dad tried anything. Lately though when grandma and dad put me to bed, yes they would seriously put me to bed, my dad wouldn't come back in the room. Grandma always fetched me from the room.

"Bad dream?"

I didn't say anything. My dad sat down on the ground, in front of me and kept his distance.

"I have bad dreams too you know, about your mom."

"Mom?"

Dad smiled. "How much of her do you remember?"

"I remember that she was always happy. And I loved her hear her sing to me."

"She had a beautiful voice." My dad commented.

"Is that why you killed Taylor? Because she weakened mom?"

My dad sighed. "No, that's not why I hated your sister. Yes, Taylor's birth was very strenuous on your mother but no I never hated your sister. Not one bit."

"Then why did you do what you did?"

My dad sighed again and sat up a little straighter. "Sweetheart, I'm possessed. There's a demon inside of me."

I blew a raspberry. "Come on now, if that was a joke that was a very bad joke."

"No joke. I seriously do believe that I'm possessed with a demon. When I drink it makes it easier for the demon to take over me. That's why I really should go to church."

"I know you won't believe me but the demon inside of me is what makes me do the things I do. I know it's no excuse for the things I've done to you or your sister but if I could go back in time, I would."

"No amount of sorry will fix anything, but I'm sorry Star. So so so very sorry."

Then my dad did something he's never done before. He began to cry. I didn't know what to do. I hated it when people cried, when they started crying I started crying.

"Dad, come on. Don't do that thing with your eyes. You know how I feel about tears."

My dad ignored me and continued to bawl his eyes out. "Because of me, I tore our family apart. You're against me and Taylor couldn't even stand the thought of being near me. You're mother probably won't even let me into heaven with her. I wouldn't let myself into heaven."

"Okay dad what do I have to do to get you to stop crying?"

My dad continued to ignore me. Sighing, I did what Taylor would do I wrapped and arm around my dad and let him cry into my shoulder. My instincts screamed at me to not get near him but I did. I stayed on guard and prepared myself in case he tried anything funny. But it never came.

When my dad stopped crying he gently held me in his arms, the same arms that I grew up in before he took a turn for the worse; the same arms that would throw me high into the sky and catch me and tickle me into a fit of giggles. Maybe my dad really was buried somewhere down inside.

"Alright look." I gently pushed myself away from my dad. "I still don't trust you. Not even a little bit. But I'm willing to attempt to trust you."

My dad nodded his head. "The second you change or hit me or even raise your voice at me I'm shutting you out and pretending that you don't exist to me. Got it?"

"I swear it Star. I won't let you down."

"You better not asshole."

My dad chuckled. Within a few minutes he tucked me back into bed and quietly left my room not without whispering goodnight into the air.

* * *

_So this is a surprise update. I was sick this week and started working on this on Thursday. Luckily I was sick for Thursday only and only missed that one day of class. Thank God for college letting you pick the days you go to school. President's week is coming up so maybe I'll update then. You guys are soo going to hate me for making daddy dearest have a heart all of the sudden. Good news is you can still hate grandma. And by the way, Taylor and Star's dad is named Aaron. I'm sorry for the confusion on that. From here on out his name is Aaron. If I can find the time I'll change his name in any other chapters that his name is mentioned. If you have any concerns let me know, once again, happy reading guys and you make me really happy with all your foot traffic and such, makes my cold and twisted college heart happy. On a side note, __**I do NOT own High School Musical in any way, shape or form. I only own crazy Ethan, Bitchy Grandma and heart filled daddy dearest. Oh and adorable little Star. I do NOT support Child Abuse, Rape or Killings in any way, shape or form. These are very serious matters and are NOT to be taken lightly.**_


	27. Goodbye Love

"I suppose we've laid low long enough."

My face lit up. "Really grandma? I…I…I can come out of hiding now?"

With my grandma's hard eyes, she cut down at me. After looking at me, a slow smile spread across her face.

"Yes you can. You've only been missing for about three months now, so it's safe. Usually by now, cops will call a case a murder case when the child isn't found in two weeks."

The front door slammed open and my dad walked in. I couldn't help it; I ran to his side and gave him my biggest smile ever. "Grandma says it's safe for me to roam the streets again!"

My dad's face lit up and he pulled me into a hug. My dad and I weren't exactly on a tight bond yet, but with every day that passed we were growing closer. Even though my dad was really trying, not one day went by that I didn't have a small voice nagging at me to keep my guard up. So far my dad had kept his word.

"What would you like to do first pumpkin? Go out and get a hamburger? Get some new clothes?"

With every idea my dad threw at me, the less excited I felt. I walked away from my dad and over to the wall that held a mirror. My grandma kept it covered with a black cloth, since our escape into the night I haven't really looked at my appearance. I didn't want to cry. Today was different though, I had to see how bad I looked.

Tugging at the fabric, the fabric gave away and floated down to the floor. Looking back at me were two dull brown eyes. Sometimes when I looked in the mirror I could see Taylor's eyes staring back at me. What used to be beautiful curls that I took such great care of, now hung dry and brittle hair. It hung past my shoulders. At least now, my hair didn't have bald spots like it did. My fingers gently grabbed my hair and I began to push it around.

Looking past my hair, my skin wasn't glowing as it once was. Instead, my skin seemed paler and dry as well. I rubbed my hands against my cheeks to try and get some color into them.

"It won't help. You are going to need some sunshine baby girl."

My grandma walked towards me and placed her hands on my shoulders. "We'll fix you up hun. I have just the stuff."

My grandma pushed me towards the bathroom, and softly closed the door behind us.

Taylor's P.O.V

Sarah was up to something. I wasn't quite sure what it was, but it was something. With my 18th birthday rearing its ugly head, I figured Sarah was planning something.

"You know I don't need a ginormous birthday bash right?"

"I know." Sarah hummed as she stirred the muffin mix.

"I'd just be happy with a small family dinner, just the two of us."

Sarah looked at me. "But what about hanging with your friends?"

"Knowing Gabby, I'll probably have the whole school singing happy birthday to me during lunch. Then there will be this giant line of everyone far and wide bringing me a gift."

Sarah laughed. "That does kind of sound like Sharpay, not Gabby."

"You're right, Gabby would have her foot in there somewhere helping out. Still though, knowing my friends something like that would happen."

Sarah stopped stirring and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "You know we all love you right?"

"I can only imagine that you all do. If you didn't, I'm sure I would be able to tell."

Sarah smiled. "Is there anything you really want for your birthday? Like a car or something?"

"To be honest, I really just want Starr."

Sarah frowned and looked over at me. "You really miss her don't you?"

I nodded my head. "My grandma's phone has been disconnected and I'm not sure what to think anymore."

"Maybe she forgot to pay the bill?"

I gave Sarah a look. My grandma wasn't this forgetful old lady and she wasn't by any means of being poor. I'm not sure how it happened, but my grandma came into a lot of money, enough of it that she didn't have to worry about working another job in her life. Or worrying about a retirement check, hers was already in her hands.

"Maybe she and Starr went on a long vacation? It could happen."

I shrugged my shoulders. Sarah was quiet for a minute or two, and kept nervously looking over at me.

"Did you steal a cookie or something?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Steal a cookie?"

"You look guilty about something. Is there something you want to talk about?"

Sarah didn't answer.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No honey, you haven't done anything wrong. It's just that. . . God, how do I say this?"

I looked at Sarah, waiting for a response.

"Oh no. Please, no. Please, please no."

"What?"

"Did. . .Did my dad escape prison?" I asked.

Sarah shook her head forcefully. "No no, sweetheart. He's still tightly locked up and rotting away as we speak."

I let out a breath. "Thank God."

Sarah continued to fidget around. "Jesus woman, what is it? If it's not my dad escaping then what is it?"

Sarah smiled at me. "You'll find out soon."

"It's not a birthday present is it?"

"Not really."

I lightly nudge Sarah. "Now your clamming up, whatever this thing is it must be big."

"I just hope you don't take it the wrong way."

"The wrong way?"

Sarah jumped as the phone rang. "Whoops, gotta grab that. Will you watch the food?"

"Sure."

Sarah darted out of the room and all I could do was shake my head. She must have a new boyfriend, because no one becomes that jumpy when a phone rings.

Star POV

"Okay, okay. I'm almost done, stop moving."

I couldn't help but bounce around in my seat. It didn't help that my grandma was putting something sweet smelling in my hair. She wouldn't let me even think about taking the blindfold off. I could hear things, but I couldn't see anything. All I could do was smell and feel things on my scalp.

"Okay, I think I'm done."

"I can take the blindfold off now?"

"Yes you can."

I slipped the blindfold off and my grandma spun me towards the bathroom mirror. My mouth fell open. My hair was cut in a Rihanna kind of style, with a long bob in the front and cut short in the back. My grandma had colored my hair with a dark brown highlight. My hair was now shiny and straight. My grandma had threaded my eyebrows, so that would explain why it felt like I was getting a rope burn on my face.

My face was rid with the dirt and grime. That would probably explain the sticky stuff on my face from earlier. I turned my face from side to side, looking at my reflection. I spun around and threw my arms around my grandma.

"Thank you! Thank you! I love it!"

"Now you can't say I didn't help you out Star."

"Now we can go shopping for new clothes?"

"Possibly after my nap."

Squealing I hugged my grandma again and flew out of the bathroom. I wanted to show my dad my new look and see how he felt about it.

"Dad?" I called out.

With no answer, I checked the whole apartment and couldn't find him. Dropping my head, I began to beat myself up. I had gotten too attached to seeing my dad and showing him all the little things that made me happy. Sighing, I walked into my closet of a room and laid down on my platelet, and began to stare at the walls. Eventually I fell asleep from staring at the walls too long.

Taylor's POV

"Happy birthday baby!" Sarah called out.

I opened my eyes and greeted Sarah with a smile. I should have figured Sarah would take picture of me when I first woke up in the morning, especially with it being my 18th birthday and all.

"Gah! Why did you do that?"

Sarah lowered the camera and looked down at the display. "Whoops. Sorry, didn't turn off the flash."

Blinking away dots, Sarah laid out my breakfast on my lap and made sure I was comfortable. While I ate my breakfast, Sarah laid a single red rose on my tray.

"Thank you Sarah. That's sweet of you."

Sarah shook her head. "It's not from me, read the letter."

"Letter?"

Sarah unwrapped the plastic from the rose and a single piece of paper fell out. Picking it up, I read the script.

_Wishing you a happy birthday with the most beautiful thing I could find. _

_-D_

D? I didn't know any D's. Tilting my head to the side, I began to run through my head of all the people I knew that started with a D.

"You're sure you don't know who sent this?"

"Nope." Sarah said popping her p.

"Hurry up and eat though, we need to get a move on missy."

Sarah got up and took my tray and told me to be ready to leave in half an hour. Sarah quietly closed my bedroom door. Getting up, I stretched my arms above my head and let out a loud yawn. After I all but killed myself with my stretch, I began to gather what I was going to where to school today. I grabbed my black polka dot dress and black gladiator sandals; I made my way to a warm shower.

* * *

"Taylor! Happy birthday!"

"Thank you Ryan." Ryan wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly. After he let me go, he handed me a sparkly bag.

"Ry, I thought I said no presents."

"Psh, I know how girls really work. When they say no gifts that really means they want a gift and lots of them!"

Shaking my head, Ryan and I kept busy until the rest of my friends showed up. Which when they did, not only did they not listen to me about no gifts they brought me helium balloons and even a cake!

Gabby and Shar walked with me to my locker and chatted on about how they were glad my birthday fell on a Friday. While they chatted on, I unlocked my locker and grabbed out the things I would need for the first half of the morning. After grabbing all of my goodies, the girls and I parted ways to our class room. Sometimes it sucked to have a different English class than my friends. While I slid into my seat and adjusted my bounty of goods, I looked on my desk and noticed another single red rose.

_I know I'm not good at rhyming with words but I will try._

_Today was the day that an amazing creature was born. Had it not been for God and the angels above the world would not know such an amazing person._

_T as in thoughtful of others_

_A as in admirable when it comes to helping others with the unknown_

_Y as in youthful for turning 18 today_

_L as in laughable and turning a dark room into a bright light_

_O as in oddball for being weird and eating pizza rolls with ketchup, yuck!_

_R as in remarkable and leaving your mark in the world_

_See? I told you I'm not good at rhyming._

_-A_

Smiling, I hid my letter in my binder. A this time? Whoever this person is must be a stalker. Stalker or not, they were slowly starting to make my day.

* * *

As the day trudged along, I had gotten two more roses with cryptic messages in them. Each time it was initialed with a different letter. H and a C. I didn't show these messages to my friends in the case of being made fun of for having a secret admirer. There was no way it was Chad. Because this person had beautiful handwriting and Chad had chicken scratch for handwriting. It couldn't be any of the guys because, like Chad they all had bad handwriting. The handwriting wasn't any of the girls' either. I was so stumped.

"Taylor?"

Jumping back from my thoughts I looked up. All of my friends had left, but Chad. "Yes?"

"I was asking you if it was okay if I came over tonight. I know you and Sarah probably have something planned, but my mom wanted me to bring over a cake that she and the girls made for you."

"Of course, how could I deny a delicious birthday cake from your mom?"

Chad laughed. "I know it puts any bakery to shame with her cakes. Is 8 okay to come over?"

"You know you can come over anytime Chad."

"Alright, let's get to class birthday girl."

Chad and I dumped our trash and began to make our way to our last classes of the day.

* * *

"What time did Chad say he was coming over?"

I thought for a moment. "He said 8."

"Okay, good. Then that means I can leave you in good hands for a little while."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you going out to meet your beau?"

"My what?"

"Beau, or also known as Boyfriend."

Sarah began to crack up. While she doubled over in laughter, I looked at her.

"Taylor, I don't have a boyfriend. I haven't had one since. . . ."

"Since my dad, I know. But that's why it's okay for you to get one. Better to move on and not let your past catch up with you."

"I guess. But no, I'm not going to meet a boyfriend or any men."

"Then where are you going?"

Just as Sarah was about to answer, the doorbell chimed. Gesturing towards the door, Sarah looked at me.

"It's for you."

Walking to the front door, I opened it. There stood Chad with a pizza and a birthday cake, just as promised.

"Happy birthday."

"Thank you."

Letting Chad in, Sarah walked passed us with her purse and kissed Chad's cheek. "Thank you for coming over Chad, now Taylor won't be alone while I'm gone."

Sarah called out to us to have fun, and closed the door behind her.

* * *

Chad and I gouged out on the pizza and the cake. By now, Chad and I were both laying on our backs looking up at the celling in the living room.

"God, this is the best birthday ever."

Chad looked at me. "Really?"

"Yes. A thousand times yes. It's been great just having you back in Cherry Grove."

Chad smiled at me and looked at me. "Something is bothering you. What is it?"

Gasping, I looked at Chad. "How did you know?"

"You're getting easier to read Taylor. Now spill it, what's up?"

Sighing, I look at Chad. "I've been getting these. . .Rose messages today and they've had weird initials."

"Hmm, sounds like you've got a stalker."

"Not a stalker! An admire stalker."

Chad shrugged. "Maybe it's someone you know."

"No way, you guys all have chicken scratch for handwriting. And it's not the girl's handwriting. It's a different hand."

"Maybe it's still someone you know."

Rolling over I look at Chad. "What makes you say that?"

"Because why would someone send you roses only on your birthday? Did they know it was your birthday today?"

"Yes they did."

Chad gave a murmur of thought and the front door opened.

"Taylor?" Sarah quietly called.

Chad and I both stood up and walked to the front door. Sarah looked very scared and was holding a small bag.

"Taylor, I. . .I have some news for you. Would you prefer the bad or the good first?"

I looked at Chad and he grabbed my hand.

"Bad."

Sarah sighed and took a deep breath. "Your sister, Star has gone missing and has been missing for three months now. The police have labeled it a murder case and are looking for suspects still."

Chad pulled me close and held me. Shock sounded through my system. Star missing? Star dead?

Chad answered for me. "What's the good news?"

Sarah looked away. "It can be seen as good news, but given the news I just gave this may be bad news as well."

"I've been chosen to take another child into my home. He's rather young and his name is Ryan. He's three years old, and has been beat to near death."

Pushing myself out of Chad's arms, a police officer was holding a small boy who looked terrified to even be here.

"Surprise Taylor?" Sarah replied defeated.

* * *

_Well look at that, a new addition to the family. Everyone meet Ryan, and prepare those heartstrings of yours to be plucked. I hope you all will welcome him with open arms, and hope you all don't hate me for such a rather random plot twist. I wonder where daddy-kins has run off to? And Star got a make-over, maybe we need to get that girl out into the fresh air and sunshine. What do you think? Happy Cinco De Mayo everyone._


	28. Gotta Find You

I quietly padded around the kitchen, trying not to clang anything together. I had successfully finished up breakfast and I was just about to serve things onto plate when I heard a quiet whimper. Looking up from sliding the eggs onto a plate, I saw Ryan hiding in the doorway.

Ryan had been living with us for a week and he was still scared as ever. He was closer to Sarah, but Sarah would do everything in her power to leave me with little Ryan. Ryan didn't like me very much, but if my friends came over he would scamper over to me.

Ryan was your normal sized toddler, but he was covered in yellow and black bruises that were hiding underneath his batman one piece pajamas. Ryan was mixed with African American and White, so his skin was a light coffee color. Ryan was a little on the small side because along with the beatings he received, he wasn't being fed properly.

Ryan's cheeks were sunk in, and he almost looked like a walking skeleton. Every time I saw Ryan, I wanted to feed him everything we had in the house. Ryan had hazel eyes that sometimes looked like a light green in the sunlight; he also had brown curls that were almost in rival with Chads fluffy curls but not as big or as long. Ryan had most of his teeth coming in, so if he did manage to smile it was somewhat tooth and gum.

I gently set down the frying pan and the plate and gave Ryan a smile. I crouched down to his level but stayed where I was.

"Good Morning Ryan." I whispered.

Ryan's hazel eyes stared back at me with a blank stare. "Do you wanna help me make breakfast for Sarah?" I continued to smile at him.

Ryan shook his head slowly.

"Okay, that's okay." I slowly stood up and finished putting the eggs on the plate.

While I was putting the rest of the food on the plate I had knocked over my dishtowel onto the floor. I learned the hard way not to let anything loud clatter to the floor. Mumbling out a shoot, I continued to put the hot food on the plate. Ryan and quietly walked into the kitchen and picked up my dishtowel.

"Taylor?" Ryan said with a quiet voice.

Spinning around, I looked down at Ryan. With a shocked look on my face, I smiled down at him. He said my name. I was the first word and name to come out of Ryan's mouth.

"Thank you Ryan." I gently extended my hand towards him.

Ryan jumped back a little bit, but gently put the dishtowel in my outstretched hand. I gently grabbed his little hand and stroked it.

"Thank you sweetheart, would you like some breakfast?"

Ryan pulled his hand out of mine and walked back over to the door frame. I had pushed my luck. At least Ryan was capable of talking; the doctors were worried that with the head trauma Ryan had suffered from that he may have shut down his vocal cords.

Shrugging my shoulders, I turned back to my breakfast spread and began to gather things up to take up to Sarah's room.

"Ryan, I'm coming towards the door." I quietly called out.

Ryan scampered out of the way and I balanced all the food up the stairs. When I got to Sarah's room I lightly hip checked the door. Quickly looking over my shoulder, I noticed that Ryan had followed me upstairs, but kept his distance. Turning around, I put my finger to my lips and smiled at him. Ryan darted around the corner and poked his head out.

"Happy Mother's day, happy momma's day la la la blah blah." I sang out.

Sarah slowly sat up and a smile spread across her face. "Oh Taylor and Ryan, you didn't have to do this."

Turning around, Ryan was hiding in the doorway again. "We did so. You are our awesome mom and it is Mother's Day, unless today isn't the 12th of May." I spoke as I began setting up the food.

Sarah and I had the tradition of me making breakfast and she and I would curl up in her bed and watch movies all day long. So while Sarah began to make room for me, I looked at the spread.

"Oh snap, I forgot the orange juice." I said and turned to walk towards the door when I looked down.

Ryan had the pitcher of Orange juice in his hands and was shakily holding it. I gestured Ryan in the room and he took a few shaky steps into the room. What happened next couldn't prepare anyone.

The glass pitcher slipped out of Ryan's hands and crashed to the floor. Why did I have to put the orange juice in a glass container? Before I knew what I was doing, I was going towards Ryan to save him from the broken glass; when he shrank back and let out a piercing cry and covered his head to prepare himself for a blow that wasn't coming. Ryan slipped on the orange juice and a shard of glass cut into his calf. Ryan screamed even louder and I gently moved towards him.

"Ryan?" I quietly called out. I held my hands out when Ryan scooted back even farther, causing the glass to dig deeper into his calf. "I'm not going to hurt you honey. I just want to fix your boo boo. Can I come towards you?" I asked quietly.

Ryan looked towards Sarah for confirmation and slowly nodded his head. Walking slowly towards him, and keeping my hands out flat, I walked past the glass and slowly inched towards Ryan. When I was right on top of him, I crouched down to his level and gently wrapped my arms around him and lifted him out of the crystal mess. Walking to Sarah's bathroom, Sarah was getting the medical supplies handy. I was going to set Ryan down on the closed toilet seat, when he wouldn't let go of my neck.

"Please Taylor; I'm sorry, so so sorry. Please don't dunk my head in the toilet tank. PLEASE!"

I looked at Sarah with a started glance, and hugged Ryan closed to my chest and assured him that I wouldn't dunk him. I explained to him that Sarah was going to clean his cut but needed him to sit on the toilet seat so she could see. Ryan's response to that was a louder cry.

"Taylor, just hold him. He might feel better that way."

Nodding my head, I sat down on the toilet seat and Sarah put a towel in my lap and I gently sat Ryan down in my lap. While Sarah examined his leg, I quietly hummed to Ryan and held him close to me.

"I'm sorry Taylor; I ruined everything that you had planned." Ryan had fat alligator tears rolling down his hollowed cheeks.

"No honey, it was an accident. It could have happened to anyone." I kissed Ryan's forehead.

Sarah removed the glass from Ryan's leg and bandaged him up. When Ryan was about to slip out of my lap, Sarah patted his knee.

"No sweetheart, take it easy on your leg. Taylor's going to carry you to the bed and I'm going to clean up the glass so no one else gets hurt."

I looked at Ryan. "Is it okay that I carry you Ryan?"

Ryan nodded his head. With that, Sarah and I both exited the bathroom with Ryan in tow. While Sarah cleaned up the glass, I nibbled on some of the breakfast. Ryan looked at me and I offered him some bacon. When Sarah came back, she had brought in a box of Capri suns and some bottled water. I all but laughed at her; Sarah crawled back in bed and turned on the TV.

While Sarah flipped through the channels a thought filled my head. "I guess no tear jerkers this year Sarah, we have a man in the room now."

Ryan looked all around the room and pointed at himself. "You mean me Taylor?"

"Yes I do, You silly goose." I snuggled Ryan and he slowly accepted my affection and cuddled into my side.

Pulling Ryan closer to me, I looked at Sarah and she had a giant smile across her face. If Sarah could cry at that moment, I think she could have.

"You look like you're going to cry, does this mean that I don't have to give you your mother's day gift now?" I asked.

Sarah laughed and hugged Ryan and I close to her. While Sarah, Ryan and I laid in bed for the remainder of the day; I knew that tomorrow I would begin putting up Missing posters of my sister and would hope that any of the news stations would be willing to hear my story and help me find my sister. Oh Star, where could you be?

* * *

_In lieu of Mother's Day I gave you guys a cheesy mother's day update. Poor little guy, he should heal nicely though. Uh ho, Taylor's getting serious about finding Star. Will she find her? I wonder if Chad will help Taylor find her lost sister, guess we're gonna have to wait till I update next huh? Happy Mother's Day guys, I hope you all show your mom, grandma, aunt, whoever female influence was around while you were growing up some kind of love and gratitude today. _

_Once again, I love you all from the bottom of my college heart and it makes me happy that you guys continue to read this story along with Big Sister. Thank you again guys. Till next time._

**I DO NOT OWN HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL IN ANYWAY, SHAPE OR FORM! ALL I OWN IS CUTE LITTLE RYAN, SARAH AND THE IDEA OF THIS STORY. I DO NOT CONDONE RAPE OR CHILD ABUSE, THESE ARE VERY SERIOUS MATTERS THAT SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.**


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